Hëªrt ôƒ §töñë
by xxxMs.Mexxx
Summary: Would you let 6 yrs of resentment and frustration come between what u feel 4 that person? Would you tell urself that past mistakes does play a part in the here and now or would u trust ur gut? On Hiatus
1. A Story of a girl

Okay well this is another one of my ficcies, hope u like this chapter...and within the next two weeks the second one should be up. Thanks in advance.

All the ffs that i have written are L&J and they have both been Gryffindores, this maybe sort of AU but i still hope you read and give it a chance.

**Disclaimer:**_I am not JK, but i just borrowed someof her characters adnmade themmy own for the duration of this story._

* * *

**Chapter 1 – A story of a girl.**   
  
'Lily hurry along now.' Called a petite woman with red hair, as she held on to the hand of her other daughter.  
  
'Comin' mama.' replied the little girl of three just as loud from the house.  
  
'Bye-bye housey.' Said the other little girl who was just five and a half as she waved to her house sadly with her free hand. Her mother, who she was angry at, for the moment, held the other. Her three-year-old sister came running outside with her pigtails bouncing.  
  
The Evans was moving, and though it was cold – since it was the middle of winter – they were leaving in a hurry.  
  
Mr. Cullen Evans had gotten a rather important and immediate job in the United States, Boston to be exact. The letter arrived a week ago; he had to be there by the second week if was accepting the job.  
  
It was supposedly urgent.  
  
They needed someone right away.  
  
Well he decided to accept and here they were about to leave Privet Drive, the place where they had lived for seven years. His wife Lindsey and his two daughters Petunia – the oldest – and Lily had finished packing and now they were about to leave for the airport.  
  
The furniture would be sold together with the house; they were going to buy everything new there.  
  
Petunia Evans waved sadly again to her beloved house but not before she vowed then and there that she would come back to it.  
  
Lily Evans – too young to know any better, too young to care – with her pigtails flying in the wind hoped in to the opened car which her mother had opened for her when she came from the house.  
  
Lindsey Evans was sad to leave the house in which she had started a family in and spent the best years of her life in but she was intrigued with the prospect of living in another country.  
  
A neighbour looked out on the street five minutes later. No one was there, the street and the driveway was empty. Looked like the Evans left already. For better pastures no doubt. They always seemed like the sort that felt that they were too good for normal folk.  
  
Four years and some months later...  
  
'Amen.' The four members of the Evans family chorused.  
  
As they started to eat, Mr. Evans looked at his family and smiled. He waited awhile before he spoke though.  
  
'I have some news for you all, one that will change the rest of our lives.'  
  
His three girls looked up at him expectedly. He cleared his throat before he plunged ahead with his news.  
  
'I have a job offer.'  
  
'Well that's great Cullen. Is it here in Southie?' His wife asked referred to the nickname of the place they lived. South Boston was known for its Irish pubs and fishing.  
  
As a matter of fact that was how Cullen Evans got his name, from his grandfather on his mothers side. He was Irish.  
  
'Uh, not exactly.' He said stammering slightly. 'You see it's the job I've been waiting for, the one I've been wanting ever since you and I met in University, ever since I got my degree.'  
  
He cleared his throat again.  
  
'The only catch is that we'll have to move. We'll have to move back to England.'  
  
'England?' all three of the Evans women exclaimed, one in uncertainty, the other in happiness and the other in well shock.  
  
'Home? In Surrey?' a now nine year old Petunia Evans asked in unsustainable happiness.  
  
'I'm afraid not.'  
  
'But you said England.' She replied in a slightly subdued voice.  
  
'Yes well we'll be moving to a place near London. Enfield is the name of the town.'  
  
But that only dimmed Petunia's happiness slightly.  
  
Lily with uncertain green eyes looked at her father. She never really remembered much about Surrey except what her sister and parents told her, which wasn't much.  
  
Moving away form her friends gave her a somewhat sad jolt. They weren't close friends mind you, more like acquaintances really but she'll miss them since she had no real friends and she met the two of them last year. They were boys who really didn't care one way another if she was playing with them.  
  
Lily said nothing but wondered if she'll have better luck in friendship there.  
  
She and her sister turned to their mother watching her reaction, as she looked straight at her husband. Lindsey glared at him. He winced slightly knowing full well that she didn't like moving from her home in the first place those years ago.  
  
'Don't you think it's about time we went back home?' she said sternly before grinning cheekily.  
  
There it was. The Evans was moving again. This time though, the mood was set in a different light. It was the ending of spring and everyone of the family was happy about that move. Everything will be set out beautifully.  
  
Lily Evans sat on the back porch of her new home; it looked over the valley of a small hill. She would have enjoyed the scenery if she had something to do while watching it.  
  
They had moved into the house a month ago, but it still felt strange and new to Lily. Her new bed still wasn't comfortable at nights as all new beds were. On top of all that she still hadn't seen one interesting person in all the days of July.  
  
Petunia stayed in her room mostly. Being ten made Petunia feel she was all high and mighty. So what her sister has reached to double digits in age.  
  
She would have the same soon; well at least in two years and a couple weeks. Being seven stinks since, she hadn't seen a person her age anywhere, not one in the few houses that lined her street.  
  
It was going to the end of August and Lily peddled her bike, which she got for her birthday, down the street.  
  
She had promised her mother that she would not go to far but when she went to the end of the pavement on Chirun's Crescent she saw that there was a house straight to her left that was shrouded in trees.  
  
She could believe house interesting it looked.  
  
She wasn't sure what was holding certain parts of it together.  
  
Lily peddled and stopped behind an okay tree.  
  
She saw a few minutes later that a girl with red hair come through the front door of the house.  
  
The girl's hair was lighter than hers – which was dark auburn – and from what Lily could see it was spiral curled to Lily's waves.  
  
She realised after a few seconds that the girl was her age.  
  
She almost wanted to get closer but couldn't. She knew what her mum would say about her curiosity.  
  
Who knows, since the girl lived so close maybe they'll go to the same school. Lily couldn't wait to find out.  
  
'Mother have you seen my broom?' the girl called through the window she just walked up too.  
  
_Broom? Oh she must have chores but why would a girl want her own broom?_'Maybe your cousin took it.' Called a deeper feminine voice from inside.  
  
'She wouldn't take it with out asking me and besides haven't you noticed she is not here?'  
  
'Yes dear, I know that I was thinking Danny took it.'  
  
'Oh that thieving little prat. I'll hunt him down, nobody rides my broom with out permission.'  
  
_Why would someone ride a broom?_   
  
The only logical thing an eight-year-old girl could come up with was,  
  
_Maybe he's pretending to ride a horse. ___  
  
She hadn't noticed though that darkness was about to fall until she heard a cricket chirp she knew she was in for it, her mother was going to kill her. She was way out past her usual time.  
  
She no longer saw the girl who had ran back inside the house so she decided that it was time to go home.  
  
Fifteen minutes later found Lily outside her house with a whole heap of punishment.  
  
Grounded.  
  
That's what she was and Petunia relished it. Lily didn't understand why she should get such a strict punishment.  
  
She was late – yes – but nothing happened judged the eight year old.  
  
Lily knew she shouldn't be here. She was grounded after all but she wanted to see what was making all those weird swishing noises. It was there every five minutes while she was on her bed. It was getting annoying to say the least.  
  
Here she was on her waterspout that was two feet away form her window.  
  
Looking out into the darkness she swore she saw a strange outline in the sky. The crescent moon didn't reflect more than a glimmer of pale light so she couldn't see anything.  
  
Unexpectedly she lost her balance and since she couldn't reclaim it she screamed and fell. Those few seconds after she let go she wished she never came out here in the first place.  
  
She was falling, falling, falling until she fell ... on her bed.  
  
Lily jerked up and looked around wildly, it was the same time her parents came bursting into the room  
  
'Mum I fell out of the window and landed on my bed.'  
  
'What? Lily what's going on?'  
  
Lily then went on to tell her parents what had happened and when she was almost done her mother shushed her overflow of words.  
  
'Lily, honey it was just a bad dream.'  
  
'No mama, I swear I climbed down the pipe and then halfway down I fell and ended up on my bed.'  
  
'Lily don't swear.' Warned her father sternly.  
  
'But –,'  
  
'No buts, honey it was just a dream, now go back to bed.'  
  
Lily did but was a long way form sleeping.  
  
She knew that she was awake didn't she?  
  
That thing, what happened, it felt real.  
  
Well it had to have been a dream; _mama said so,_ she reasoned.  
  
_Funny _thought Lily as she walked up the steps of her school at recess. It was the first day of school and she hadn't seen that girl she saw last month.  
  
On top of that fact it seemed to her that a lot of the children didn't want to talk to her.  
  
What?  
  
Did she smell or something?  
  
Honestly you'd think they have never seen a red headed, green-eyed girl before. Of course she was little on the skinny side but that should put anybody off of her.  
  
She had seen far more skinny girls than herself on the playground and _they_ made friends. Even Petunia who didn't seem to mind that her sister had no friends. You'd think she would at least feel sorry for her.  
  
Lily was kind of hoping that she would have come so that she could say no to her charity but nothing. In fact Petunia acted as though she didn't have a sister with irritated Lily to no end.  
  
Lily hadn't spoken in class all morning and soon the teacher was beginning to ask them all questions, about themselves, their family and their hobbies.  
  
This getting to know your teacher thing had Lily on edge.  
  
What could she possibly say about herself that was even remotely fascinating? Sighing, she stood up with it was her turn and smiled a smile she didn't feel. She decided on the truth, it sounded much better than anything she could think of on the spot.  
  
'I was born in Surrey, and then my family and I moved to Southie in Boston when I was three. We moved to this area in July. I live with my parents and my sister.'  
  
And that was all she said before she sat back down on her chair. The teacher, Mrs. Angela Piper smiled at her.  
  
'My you have a nice accent. It's mixed though, mostly American but you have British in there as well. Nice to meet you Lily Evans.'  
  
There was a slight murmur before the introductions continued.  
  
Lunch was quite a different experience for Lily than recess was. People introduced themselves to her and then interrogated her on America. Others merely sniffed at her – that really made her think again that she smelled – and the with their nose in the air left.  
  
All this time Lily was basking in the glow of popularity she didn't realise how soon it would come to and end. The ones who talked to her in the beginning were now different towards her by the end of the month.  
  
It seemed that a new transfer student had come from Hollywood to their school. With the days of popularity over she had more free time on her hands.  
  
Since she was ditched she decided that she might as well do something productive. It was not like she had anything better to do.  
  
Reading seemed like the most bearable idea to her but there was no way she was going to stay in an empty library. She didn't wan to look like that much of a geek. (No offence to anyone. I myself stay in the library at times.)  
  
She borrowed a couple of _Secret Seven_ mystery book. She had read some of them back in Southie and was surprised that had some of them here.  
  
She went outside and sat under a shady tree that was next to play area.  
  
And it was there you would find her two years later with another book.  
  
She had given up trying to make friends at this school.  
  
There were a couple of nice children she talked to every so often but they themselves were either loners or people who would like to be her friend but otherwise engaged with people who didn't.  
  
Not that she minded however. To her things were better if they remained the same.  
  
Lily had long passed mystery book and such, she was now reading up on Egyptian and Roman culture and history.  
  
Ancient Egypt was a fascinating place and although the schoolbooks only carried its history and myths up to a certain point she still burrowed in them.  
  
She usually had a dictionary on hand if she couldn't figure out the words.  
  
She grew curious about their curses and legends but as they didn't have those kinds of books she settled on read about new places and people.  
  
Like the Druids.  
  
Ancient people who were thought to have made human sacrifices in the areas were the Stonehenge is located, near Silbury hill. Some people believed that aliens built those Megalithic structures other believed that people who possessed magic did.  
  
In truth no one really does.  
  
It was interesting though and right there in England.  
  
_One day..._   
  
'Ha, ha, ha, Evans has no friends.' Called a boy named Linc.  
  
Lily looked up and glared at him from where she was under her tree. This was her last year in the dratted school and she could wait to get out and go to her secondary school.  
  
Not the one Petunia was going to, oh no. Her first choice was Mauve's Academy for Girls. She had seen enough stupid skinny twits to last her a lifetime and that included this one right here with his group of incurable stupid boys—besides she heard the library was amazing.  
  
'Please, like a skinny idiot like you would know what a real friends was.' Said Lily; although she had no idea what is was either.  
  
'The least she could do was bluff herself out of this little fight. More than two years had passed and none particularly liked her. She never understood why.  
  
She looked to the side if Linc. Looked like skinny twit had come to visit her with his skinny little girlfriend as well not to mention his three cronies behind them. No doubt he said that because Mena, his witch of a girlfriend sent him to make her peaceful lunchtime a living hell.  
  
Ten-year-old children could be as mean as grumpy old men when they want to be and before lily knew what had happened balloons filled with water was thrown at her. All her books were getting wet and she was getting angry.  
  
She got up and ran to the jungle gym.  
  
They snickered and pointed and she ran. No one was around and Lily couldn't wait to find something and get back at them with. That was all she could think about.  
  
They converged on her like the way you would coral a horse. Before she knew what was happening it was too late.  
  
It seemed the prats had some smarts after all.  
  
She thought.  
  
It seemed that they had rigged two large balloons of water to fall in a certain spot. The spot where Lily now was.  
  
It wasn't as though she had any real allies in this school. Even if Petunia had been there she wouldn't have helped her only sibling.  
  
They were once close but Petunia seemed to have drifted from her, the thought made her even angrier. All the anger she was keeping bottled up seemed to be surfacing.  
  
Anger that no one liked her, anger that she couldn't talk to her sister anymore and anger she felt when people underestimated her.  
  
Somehow when the large balloons were about to fall on her they missed. They fell on Linc and his girlfriend.  
  
The two of them looked at each other in horror and dashed towards school. Lily couldn't have been happier.  
  
[I] Obviously [/I] their own stupid trick backfired.  
  
Even though they were a few feet away from her. They must have set everything wrong though because the wind couldn't have pushed it that far.  
  
That was impossible.  
  
Knowing that she was going to be late she picked up her books and headed towards class, fully aware that she would have to stay back after school.  
  
In the days that followed the more things that kept happening to her the more times Lily dismissed them as flukes and in one case bad dreams.  
  
It was one day though that everything changed that led her on the journey of her life.  
  
It was not changed so much that is wasn't something she could accept but there was the fact that she and no other ordinary person she knew had this ability.  
  
The letter she had gotten from an _owl_ had explained all the details and the directions as well as what some things were when she got it, she swore that it was some kind of joke. But how could it be?  
  
She had let herself wonder and she felt that if this was true then she might finally be able to belong to a place a place that was meant for her. Where people will accept her and not think of her as any kind of outcast.  
  
Someone had gone to an awful lot of trouble for her to look like a fool because it was obvious the owl was well trained.  
  
She had been reading up on Gothic architecture—dictionary on hand—when she got her letter from a place called Hogworts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The brown owl had suddenly swooped in her window and dropped the letter in the middle of her book.  
  
The weird thing was it sat there as if waiting to carry something back. So she read it and came to the conclusion that the world was just plain crazy.  
  
She was a witch and not something you see in old movies with evil ugly green women with cackling laughter too a real witch. How could she be one of those?  
  
Will she look like them? She though she was pretty human looking unless being a witch mean that she would look like that when she grew up.  
  
Well her Parents were happy when she told them they were ecstatic.  
  
_We have a witch in the family._ Witch.  
  
Magic.  
  
They were term not foreign to her but she knew them form different contexts.  
  
No here she was on a September morning with the worn out letter—dog-eared from too much reading and re-reading—tucked into her jumper pocket that determined the life she was going to lead for the next seven years.  
  
She was going to the school and has Lily pulled up to the train station with her parents she knew what she was going to do.  
  
She has never had a real adventure; it was time to start thinking of her life as one now. 


	2. The Spanking Pranking Marauders

**Chapter 2—The Spanking Pranking Marauders.**  
  
'Hey I know you don't I?' asked a messy, raven haired boy.  
  
The boy he was speaking to looked up and brushed back his semi-long black hair from his eyes with his right hand.  
  
'I don't know. Do I know you?' he replied.  
  
The two boys stared at each other solemnly for a few seconds.  
  
'I think we should forget and start over.' Said the boy with the unruly hair.  
  
If there were people listening to this conversation between these two boys they would have been totally confused, besides the fact that they didn't know who they were or which family they belonged to.  
  
The eleven year old pushed back his hair again form his face before sticking out his hand again.  
  
'Sirius Black.'  
  
'James Potter.' Replied the other boy who stuck out his own hands and shook it.  
  
The Blacks and the Potters were from a long line of wizarding families. More so than most.  
  
The only thing was there was rivalry that dated back a generation or two, both families despised each other. Sirius and James fathers were always at war with one another.  
  
The fact that the Blacks supported the dark areas of magic only made things worse. Its not that they were open about it but it was just known by some witches and wizards alike.  
  
The reason that these two boys stood there outside Olivander's—the wand shop in Diagon Alley was because their parents were elsewhere.  
  
And the reason that they were shaking hands was because they wanted the thing or relationship that was forming between them to be based to respect not hate like their fathers was.  
  
James knew that Sirius was nothing like his father and Sirius knew that James's father was nothing like his own.  
  
No one except the two of them and Harrison Potter—James's father— knew the reason why Sirius was the black sheep of the Black family. It occurred two years ago and it was then that the two of them met by chance in a forested area outside of London. Each of them didn't know who the other really was.  
  
It seemed funny that the sons of two archenemies should meet like that.  
  
When the boys were nine they had happened to come across garden gnomes obviously marching themselves to a poor new garden. The two of them had been following them for a few minutes before they had come upon each other.  
  
They hadn't noticed each other until a few minutes had passed.  
  
Thought the two boys had not known each other. It seemed like they were kindred sprits because they just had to look at each other to know what the other one was thinking.  
  
With gleams in their eyes, they came together—two fun loving boys—one who wasn't allowed much fun and the other who was spoiled slightly by his parents and they sent the gnomes flying.  
  
After thirty minutes of tormenting the miserable creatures that sat on the ground panting slightly while nursing dome of the bites they got.  
  
'Hi.'  
  
'Hello.'  
  
They both said to each other.  
  
'What's your name?' James asked.  
  
Sirius who didn't want anyone to know about his miserable family – much less a strange boy who could possibly be a friend – caught himself in time when he answered.  
  
'Sirius—uh—yeah just Sirius.'  
  
James laughed a little.  
  
'Well Just Sirius my name is James.' He said. He had felt that it was better that he didn't give out his last name since the other bloke wasn't giving out his.  
  
Then he asked, 'what are you doing out here?'  
  
'Nothing really just needed a break.'  
  
'That's good.'  
  
'I live there.' Sirius continued waving vaguely in the direction of his house. Of course it was a very hard house to find with all the security measures known to wizard kind that surrounds it.  
  
He father was very touching about that.  
  
'I live that way.' Said James pointing in the opposite direction.  
  
'I needed to get to out of my house or else I'd have gone mad.' Commented Sirius suddenly.  
  
'Yeah I know what that feels like.'  
  
'Maybe you do, but you don't have parents nagging you day after day trying to make you something you're not though do you?'  
  
'Well my dad has this idea that his only son should become a world-renowned healer.'  
  
Sirius sighed. 'No I mean your personality, who you are.' He said trying to explain but not wanting to tell this boy about his parents and his none existent life.  
  
'I guess not.'  
  
'They want me to become like them, but I'm nothing like them. I don't want to be anything like them.'  
  
'You have your own goals then?'  
  
'Yeah I have these plans. I want to do so many things when I go off to school, away form my family.'  
  
'Really?'  
  
'Yeah because you see my house is a no fun zone.'  
  
James laughed. 'Sorry about that mate but at my house we have fun all the time especially when my grandparents come over.'  
  
Sirius shot James a dark look. 'Yeah well bully for you then.'  
  
'Sorry mate.'  
  
'It's okay; I mean the world should have some fun in it right? Even if I don't get any.'  
  
'What school do you want to go to?' James asked changing the subject.  
  
'My parents want me to go to Durmstrang.' The boy replied shuddering slightly.  
  
'I hear there is a lot of support for the dark arts in that school.' James said raising an eyebrow but not pushing for an answer. He didn't get one.  
  
'I want to go to Hogworts though.' Sirius said.  
  
'I know me too.' Replied James in a wistful voice.  
  
'Year I heard it's a great school but one thing is for sure I don't want to be in the same house as my cousin.'  
  
'So what about these plans you have? I err have some of my own, though they may be different from yours.' James said hedging a little. He had his own ideas of what to do when he went away to school.  
  
'Like I'd tell you. You may likely steal them for yourself.' He said grinning.  
  
They had parted after an hour had passed. Each hoping to see the other again. And they did, rather unexpectedly too.  
  
James and his dad were in Diagon Alley when he spotted Sirius for the first time in weeks.  
  
'Father look it was the fellow I was telling you about.'  
  
'Really? I would like to meet him.' Harrison Potter said in a half booming half curious voice.  
  
James then hailed him.  
  
Sirius looked up and smiled and he had nothing to smile about in a long while he had thought he might have forgotten how. He joined him and shook hands with James's father.  
  
'How do you do lad?'  
  
'Fine sir.'  
  
'Strong handshake you have there son.'  
  
Sirius grinned. 'Thank you sir.'  
  
'Aren't you a little young to be wandering the streets by yourself? Where is your father?' Harrison said good-naturedly.  
  
Sirius waved vaguely towards where his father was. Seeing him do that James recalled when he did it before and thought he was always doing that.  
  
Sirius didn't want anyone to know that his father was in Knockturn Alley at the moment. Wouldn't that be swell? To show how evil his father was to a friend, his only friend mind you and his father.  
  
'How about I buy you lad some ice cream?' Harrison asked and nodded towards Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, a newly opened establishment.  
  
Getting to know Sirius after a while Harrison was very impressed.  
  
Sirius was very much like James, telling jokes and laughing. And over the next few minutes Sirius began to wish that he had a father just like James had. It was obvious they had fun together.  
  
They finished their ice creams and walked back towards the spot where Sirius had been standing to wait for his father.  
  
'Potter!' said an angry voice.  
  
Harrison whirled around to face Tomas Black.  
  
'What do you think you're doing talking to my son?' he asked threateningly. 'And you,' he said rounding on Sirius. 'If I told you once I told you a hundred times do not consort with the antagonist.' Tomas finished angrily.  
  
At the same time both boys were shocked.  
  
_Sirius was a Black?  
  
James is a Potter?  
_  
Harrison was shocked as well.  
  
'Listen Black I d—,' he started then faltered, how could this charismatic charming boy be the son of this man?  
  
Sirius was so ready with a smirk and a smile and he only knew the boy for a little while and anyone could see that he was a very likable young lad.  
  
He sighed. The chock in Sirius's face was enough to speak volumes. He would get into trouble if his father new it was more than a chance meeting.  
  
He did the only thing he could in a situation like this he lied.  
  
'Black why I Merlin's name would I be talking to your son? I just saw this boy standing here. I don't even know who the boy was or his name.' He said indignantly.  
  
'See that you don't.'  
  
Not wanting to start a fight in front of the two boys Harrison turned around, forcing to James to do so as well and walked away.  
  
Walking away was regrettable but who knows what Tomas Black would have done to Sirius if he hadn't done what he did.  
  
Black's son.  
  
He still couldn't believe it. He then heard Tomas say to Sirius,  
  
'Come on boy, we have to meet with your mother and brother but I'll deal with you later.'  
  
After a while Harrison wondered what his son was thinking. He hadn't said a word since they met Sirius's father.  
  
'James don' worry about Sirius, I can't believe that he is Black's son but I can tell that he is a good boy. I am certain he is not like his father.'  
  
James nodded and Harrison continued.  
  
'But I want to tell you that if you see him again, its best not to talk to him in public. It would draw too much attention which could possibly get back to his father.'  
  
'But father, will Sirius turn out as bad as his father one day?  
  
'I hope not son; I just expect or hope that he knows which side to be on. It seems like he does.'  
  
'Yeah.' Said James as he turned back to look at the now Sirius-less street.  
  
Harrison felt sorry for the young boy his son had befriended, having a father like that is never easy and he should know, he had one just like that for fifteen years of his life but even then he had his own reasons for disliking the Blacks although they are opposite from why his father hated them.'  
  
So here the boys were two year later shaking hands.  
  
Over the two years since they had met they had gotten only a couple glimpses of each other but they have never spoken a word. Or rather they never got a chance to.  
  
Suddenly smirking Sirius looked straight into James's eyes.  
  
'Uh I'm supposed to meet my stupid bloody bugger of a cousin Bellaire in the next three hours. After I finish my shopping for my supplies. Since we're starting over and since the only thing I have to do is get my wand what do you say we have a little fun afterwards?'  
  
Smiling James matched his look with one of his own.  
  
'What do you have in mind?'  
  
'Well, partner I am thinking that since I can't have any fun at home, I'd like to have a little fun outside of it. How about playing a prank on my dear sweet cousin Belle?'  
  
'Ah planning this a while have we?' James asked lifting an eyebrow.  
  
'Only since I could think!'  
  
'How old is she?'  
  
'She's on to her 5th year at Hogworts.' He said then added, 'she's a slytherin.' With a disgusted look. 'You won't believe how much I don't want to be in slytherin. All of my family who has attended Hogworts was in slytherin, except for my cousin Andromeda, but we never talk about her. She is in Gryffindore, in her 3rd year.'  
  
My father said a hundred times since I was born that I never "fit the mold" of this family. He always turns his nose up anytime Andromeda is around, which is never often. Te thing is I am hoping that since I don't fit the mould and Andy doesn't I am hoping I'll have the genes she used to get into Gryffindore.'  
  
James laughed. 'But you'll glad if you're not there right?'  
  
'Yeah, that's okay. I'll be happy to be in Hufflepuff.' Sirius finished gravely.  
  
James laughed again.  
  
'So you're going to Hogworts for sure then?'  
  
'Yeah, what about you what school are you going to?'  
  
'Same.'  
  
'So I guess we'll be seeing each other there too.'  
  
'Look's like.' James said ungrammatically. 'Anyways about your bugger of a cousin, what do you have in mind?'  
  
'Well you see I've been planning this as I said since I could fathom what revenge was, so I have been saving whatever extra money I ended up with or whatever money my father felt like giving me. Mind you he doesn't give me often but its usually a lot, oh and whatever money I got out of the village kids.' Sirius said not bothering anymore to hide his family's actions  
  
Besides James knew almost every bad thing about his family and most of them were true but if he hadn't known that he had the decency not to say a word about it.  
  
'You stole from them?' James said not really believing it but had to ask. Just in case.  
  
'Blimey no, but those blokes are easier to con that Duffy—our house elf, the only thing I can talk to in there really— and that's saying something.' He finished.  
  
'Oh yeah?'  
  
'Yeah I plan to get out of that house as soon as I can as well as try my best to free that elf.'  
  
'Doesn't he belong to your family though? Only your father could free him and maybe your mother.'  
  
'Don't worry I have that covered.'  
  
James looked at his friend and gained some new respect for him.  
  
'Really?' James asked interested. He couldn't help it he grinned. It was infectious. Somehow he knew that he and Sirius were going to be good if not great friends.  
  
'Uh huh but never mind that now, although I am happy that my parents don't' care enough to get my first year supplies, they should know by now not to leave me to my own devices but they do it anyway. Lets o get my wand.'  
  
James nodded in agreement but first he took out a hat he had found one day and learned that it was a muggle hat. He liked it because it kept his unruly hair out of trouble.  
  
He stuffed it on his head then followed Sirius down the street to Olivanders.  
  
First though at a shop just before their destination, they saw the most magnificent broom ever. _The Molten X 2._ James went into gaga mode for a few minutes before Sirius dragged him to Olivanders.  
  
When they opened the door the string less bell above their heads chimed. Behind a shelf a grey haired man poked his head out.  
  
'Ah Mister Black and Mister Potter. Good to see you. I've been wondering when I would see both of you at the same time.'  
  
To James he said, 'I do hope you're keeping your wand nice and polished for the start of the new term.  
  
'Yes sir.' James said smiling up at him.  
  
James liked him and though he looked to be on the weird side he was very interesting to talk to.  
  
'Sirius Black, you're the splitting image of your father I must say but a temper like your mother.'  
  
Sirius growled a little not picking up on how Mr. Olivander knew his name at all because he was mad at being compared to his parents.  
  
But the twinkle in Mr. Olivander's eye told James that he knew it was a sore subject for Sirius.  
  
'Yes I imagine that wouldn't be too flattering to hear. Anyway, lads, what say I go and bring out a few wand for you to try?'  
  
Fifteen minutes later Sirius exited the wand shop with a brand new wand.  
  
'So are you ready to torment my cousin?'  
  
'Are you sure you're not going to get into trouble for this?' James asked raising an eyebrow. He didn't wanted to be a Sirius's shoe if he got caught.  
  
'Oh ye of little faith.'  
  
'No not really, I'm all for it. I encourage it even. I was just wondering that if your dad wouldn't go ballistic on you.'  
  
'My friend we aren't going to get caught.' Sirius said then went about telling his friend about his idea.  
  
'But we'll need something to carry it in.' James replied.  
  
'How about that thing on your head?'  
  
'No way we are not using my muggle hat. What about that?' Asked James pointing to the jumbo bucket of Berty bott's every flavoured beans.  
  
'Okay, just back off there buddy, where will I put all my beans, in my knickers? I am not throwing them away if that what you're getting at too. That there is my supply for the rest of the week.'  
  
James noted that there was only one more day in the week, so that would finish in a day. 'Sirius you are so behind. Here, this is something you would never want to leave home with out.'  
  
'And what's that?'  
  
James blushed slightly.  
  
'Well my mum uses it in the kitchen but I use it for other purposes that I might tell you one day.'  
  
Sirius laughed. 'So you're using something form your kitchen. What am I supposed to do, put the entire bucket of bean into a pot?'  
  
James scowled. He stuck his hand into his dark blue robes and produced a cylinder with a mixed colour tone of tan and red.  
  
'It sort of looks like the thing those muggles use in the loo.' He said trying not to snicker.  
  
'It does not. Look, okay my mum uses these things, which are called onyx's to store her herbs that she has in bulk. It basically has a long bottom and when you need the things you put into it, the onyx itself pushes up the thing '  
  
'Hey so we can use that to put stuff in.'  
  
'No,' James sighed. 'You can put your beans in here and we can use the bucket to put the material in. it would take forever to clean one of those.  
  
'Okay, brilliant. Now let's go.'  
  
**_The Directions:_**  
  
1. Use a temporary hovering clasp that could be gotten anywhere. From the prank shop to the charm supply shop. All in all a great tool.  
  
2. A dissolving plug. Also could be gotten form the prank shop.  
  
3. Make a hole at the bottom of the bucket. Preferably of seven centimetres in diameter to fit the plug.  
  
4. Liquid glue that dissolved into anything.  
  
5. Disguises.  
  
**_The Plan:_**  
  
Sirius and James split up to get what they need to pull the ultimate revenge prank. All they had to do now when they met again was to figure out who will do it.  
  
'I'll do it. It's your plan so I'll do it. Next time though, it will be my prank and you'll be the one to do it.' James proposed and Sirius grinned.  
  
'Fair enough my friend.'  
  
Five minutes later Sirius showed James his cousin. James had to admit she was okay looking, but you couldn't really tell from the back of her head while she sucking face with this odd looking to hair toned fellow.  
  
James had never even wanted to go sit near a girl unless his mother forced him to so he for sure wasn't going there out of his own free will. What was wrong that bloke anyway?  
  
Behind him he heard Sirius gag.  
  
'That's River Donovan, her new boyfriend. She goes through them so fast I can't keep track but I think that him. Judging my the hair that is.'  
  
James quickly looked around. He was thankful that there was a tree right next to them. Nodding to Sirius who followed him they hid behind behind the tree and pulled out everything they had.  
  
They had already had the most important thing already mixed with the dissolving glue. They fixed everything in place and James scaled up and down the tree in a minute.  
  
Sirius and James had to bite down the urge to stand right there and see the spectacle bit for now thought is better not to.  
  
They were checking out the sweets shop across the street five minutes later when they heard a shriek.  
  
James smirked at his new friend.  
  
'Guess it worked huh?' and Sirius ginned.  
  
Before they left the sweet shop they looked at each other. 'I'll owl you next month but um I think if it would be better if I put a different name. I'll think of one that you will recognise. Guess we'll see each other on the train then.' James said.  
  
'You bet.' Sirius replied as he sauntered up to his cousin.  
  
James lingered long enough to hear Sirius's sarcastic remark.  
  
'Uh cousin, I don't think ice-cream is made for wearing.'  
  
'Oh shut up Sirius. When I get my hands on the prat who did this, they'll be sorry.' Said what had to be Bellatrix angrily.  
  
Knowing that because of that glue she wouldn't be able to wash out the chocolate caramel ice cream out of her hair for a week James laughed.  
  
Yes indeed, he knew for a fact that he and Sirius were going to be good friends—that is if their families doesn't get in the way.  
  
'It was come marauding children Edna, I swear they pulled a fast one on those young ones."  
  
'I'd say it served them right Martha. Honestly, what is the world coming too? This is a public place, a family place. Those too had no right to be doing their dirty deeds in public.'  
  
And as the two old witches commented some more the young boy took off his had and went to meet his uncle. 


	3. True Friendships—A place of belonging

**Chapter three— True Friendships —A place of belonging**  
  
Lily Evans pushed her cart that was loaded with her trunk and school supplies down the platforms. Her parents really wanted to come and help her but she was steadfast in her decision to go alone.  
  
She could not or would not rather allow them to baby her. she needed to know about this place on her own.  
  
According to a more detailed letter that had arrived after she had confirmed her acceptance a couple of months before, muggle parents weren't allowed inside the barrier.  
  
It was a funny name, she thought, of what magical people called the none.  
  
She would be away from her parents for more than three months. Her sister she would miss too even though Petunia had wondered if her entire family had gone mad.  
  
She hadn't believed what Lily and her parents told her about magic. She had thought that they had eaten to many beans at dinner that night and smugly told them so.  
  
Lily had thought about what her sister said and did wonder for a spilt second that maybe they were over reacting about the whole thing.  
  
It could be a magician's school or all they knew. Pulling out rabbits from hats was not her idea of a career.  
  
When she went into Diagon Alley however the little voice that had been telling her that everything Petunia was telling her was right that entire week disappeared like a puff of smoke.  
  
Petunia on the other hand had turned up her nose when she found out that everything was real. Lily could do nothing to persuade her that that it wasn't as bad as it seemed.  
  
She told her all about their trip to Diagon Alley, the street, the people, the shops and even what she learned about brooms—although that itself wasn't much.  
  
She'll learn to fly a broom, Lily had informed Petunia but even that didn't faze her.  
  
She had had a month to go before September the first rolled around and she had intended to be prepared for it. What if she didn't know anything when everybody else did?  
  
She had divided her remaining days to the number of book she had and worked on it from there, focussing on each book for the given days.  
  
Now here she was looking for what seemed like a nonexistent platform. The letter she was given said that it was between platforms 9 and 10 at the Kings Cross Station.  
  
Twenty minutes later found her sitting on the train, having had the opportunity to ask a fellow cart pusher as to where it was.  
  
She had walked though the barrier and stood in awe of the huge scarlet train.  
  
Seeing the magnificence of the train showed the reality of what she was brought into. That everything she was doing since she found out she was a witch was real. The barrier had to have been some sort of magic as well.  
  
Still in a fairly small amount of shock she pinched herself and went onto the train.  
  
Though she was alone in the compartment, she didn't feel very lonely because this was what she was accustomed too.  
  
Pretty soon the train started moving very slowly. Unexpectedly her compartment door opened slightly.  
  
A girl who looked slightly of East Indian decent—because of her brown eyes, dark hair and light brown skin—poked her head in and she was wearing black thin rimed glasses.  
  
'Excuse me did you happen to see a red headed girl? Oh sorry you're a red head, well another one then? She's about our age and her hair is curly.'  
  
'No sorry.' Lily replied slightly stunned because the girl said this all very fast.  
  
'Oh that's all right. If you see one though tell her that her cousin is looking for her.'  
  
'All right, no problem.'  
  
'See you then, you never know, we might get sorted into the same house.'  
  
But before Lily had the chance to ask about the sorting she was gone.  
  
She had read in Hogworts: A History that there were four house named after the founders of the school  
  
But what the book didn't say was how would you go through to each house.  
  
Just then her compartment door slid open again to reveal two girls. The first one was the one she just saw and the other was a slightly chubby girl with curly red hair. Then another girl appeared form behind them a few seconds later.  
  
'Hi again I found my cousin.' The familiar girl said as she pointed to the red headed girl to the left of her then continued. 'I though we would sit here, that is if you don't mind.'  
  
'Oh, of course not. My name is Lily Evans by the way.'  
  
'My name is Jessica Adams. The rude one who didn't bother to introduce herself is Sasha Dhanaram.' The girl's cousin interrupted before grinning.  
  
'As if Jessie.' The girl who was Sasha replied pushing her glasses further up her nose.  
  
Lily looked at the two girls oddly. The both of them looked completely different from each other since they were related.  
  
Seeing the look Jessie grinned at her.  
  
'We may look different but we are related to each other unfortunately.'  
  
Sasha rolled her eyes.  
  
'We're related to each other form our mother's side who are sisters.'  
  
Sasha nodded and laughed as Jessie dramatically continued.  
  
'My aunt fell for this dashing young man from Trinidad.'  
  
'I take after my father.'  
  
'Obviously Sash.'  
  
'Yeah well just letting her know. His great, great grandparents are from India.' Sasha added.  
  
Jessie just rolled her eyes. 'It's not that I'm disrespecting her or anything,' she defended herself, 'it's just that she tells _everybody_ that.'  
  
'My name is Megan Matthews though.' Said the girl form the back who was now noticed by Jessie and Sasha since she spoke. 'Nice to meet you three.'  
  
'Sorry,' Sash grinned sheepishly. 'I guess it was hard to get in a word edgewise.'  
  
Megan laughed.  
  
As the girls got ready to settle themselves in, Lily felt kind of odd. They didn't seem to mind sitting with her  
  
Jessie sat across from her and Megan sat next to Lily. Sasha was about to sit next to her cousin she fell. Almost flat on her face too if Jessie didn't stop her fall.  
  
'Well Mc. Klutz strikes again.'  
  
'Hey it wasn't me this time. I tripped over something furry.'  
  
Jessie, Megan and Lily looked at the floor and saw nothing.  
  
'There is nothing there Sash.'  
  
Sasha huffed.  
  
Jessie leaned forward and in a fake whisper said, 'she always gets like this when she klutz's up.'  
  
Sasha just laughed good-naturedly and stuck out her tongue at her cousin, who continued, 'But for whatever balance defects she may have she makes up for in brains.'  
  
'Of course!'  
  
Jessie looked at Megan and Lily.  
  
'See don't tell her that sort of thing to her face. It goes to her head.'  
  
Lily soon felt at ease with the three girls. All three of them were really talkative and funny. But she couldn't help shake the feeling that she saw Jessie somewhere before.  
  
'So guys where do you live?' Megan asked.  
  
Lily told them where he lived. 'On Chirrun's Crescent in Enfield.'  
  
'Hey I live hear there.' Jessie exclaimed.  
  
It was then Lily placed her. 'You live in the big house near the woods.'  
  
'Yeah I do, how do you know that?'  
  
'I saw you a few years ago when I was on my bicycle.'  
  
'Bicycle? Oh you're muggle born!'  
  
'That depends on what a muggle born is. Oh it that since my parents are muggles and I was born a witch?'  
  
'Yeah that's it.'  
  
'I see now.'  
  
Halfway through the journey a skinny boy with dark brown hair knocked on the door. 'Excuse me but have any of you girls a niffler?' he asked and the words rolled of his tongue differently and it sound really charming.  
  
'Hey are you from Australia?' Megan asked.  
  
The boy just grinned.  
  
'Yeah I am.'  
  
'That's neat.'  
  
'Yeah but the journey was a killer though, I had to take three portkeys here. Anyway about the thing that I'm looking for...these two fellows let them out at the front of the train. I'm looking for one because this girl wants one as a pet and asked me to get one for her as a pet.'  
  
The girls laughed.  
  
'Is a niffler furry and short?' Sash asked.  
  
'Yeah it is why have you seen it?'  
  
'No sorry.' And Sasha then turned to the rest of the girls, 'ha! See that's why I tripped. I told you it was totally me.'  
  
'All right Sash, we believe you.' Jessie answered.  
  
'My name is Matthew Ashton by the way.'  
  
'We are,' said Morgan from her place next to Lily. 'Sasha, Jessie, Lily and myself, Megan.'  
  
'Nice to meet you but I had better press on before all the nifflers have disappeared. I'll see you when we get there.'  
  
'Okay, bye then.'  
  
Two hours later Lily and her new friends walked up the stone steps of the castle. They had just gotten off the boats that had carried them across the lake and were awed by the sight of Hogworts all lit up.  
  
It had look like something out of a card to Lily. She was literally speechless.  
  
Jessie had to nudge her out of the boat that the four girls had shared.  
  
They all together were the new first years or so the strict looking woman who had come to the front of the great large door, said after introducing herself as Professor Minerva Macgonnagal.  
  
She then lead them inside the hall where it seemed the rest of the school had convened to the front where there was a rather beat up looking hat on a stool.  
  
Soon enough the sorting ceremony began with the hat, or the sorting hat as they were told burst into song.  
  
After the lyrics died the Professor unrolled the parchment that was rolled up in her hand. The first person up to the stool was, 'Adams, Jessica.'  
  
The hat sat on her head for a few seconds before shouting, 'Ravenclaw!'  
  
Jessie got up from the stool and took of the hat but before she left she saluted them and then joined the table that was cheering the loudest.  
  
Another girl was up but she was sorted into Slytherin who look like an unpleasant lot.  
  
Soon a familiar face was called up to the hat.  
  
'Ashton, Matthew.'  
  
That fellow was sorted into Gryffindore and after a few more people had gotten sorted it was Sasha's turn and just as her cousin did she saluted after the hat said, 'Ravenclaw' and went off to take her seat.  
  
When Lily's turn came, she went up and the hat was placed on her head. Lily couldn't believe it when the hat began speaking to her in her mind and she also couldn't believe it when the hat shouted, 'Ravenclaw' also.  
  
She raced to the table that held her new friends. They all grinned at each other. Now all they had to do was wait to see if Megan would be in Ravenclaw too.  
  
There were four of them so far. A girl was sorted in the house before Sasha though Lily didn't quite get her name. She would ask after the sorting was over.  
  
Soon enough it was Megan's turn after about fifteen other children were sorted. They all suffered a disappointment however when the hat called out the house she would be sorted into.  
  
The hat had called out Gryffindore and she gave them a sad smile and went to her table that was cheering loudly.  
  
When the last girl was sorted into Ravenclaw they introduced themselves. The girl who was sorted earlier was Anna Borucka who had shoulder length brown hair that matched her brown eyes.  
  
The last girl was Hannah Walker. He too had brown hair though it was longer than Anna's but had icy blue eyes.  
  
As all the first years settled in someone called for attention out in the front of the hall.  
  
'Welcome to another year at Hogworts and good evening to you all. My name as you may or may not have known is Albus Dumbledore. I used to teach here many years ago and I was called back recently to because headmaster. I would first like to announce that as your new headmaster I would do my utmost best to keep this school in order. Also I would like to say that the third floor is out of bounds for all students. There is another thing I would like to say to all of you but I'm afraid this only concerns the fifth years.  
  
'I would like two students to consider going to consider taking an exchange course with another school. The other school in question is Durmstrang. A boy and a girl would suffice and I would like to talk to all the students who are interested after you have eaten this wonderful feast.'  
  
A prefect named Amos Diggory led them all back the Ravenclaw tower after the feast where they separated form the rest of the first years.  
  
Since their belongings were already upstairs Lily and her dorm mates ran up to see their new rooms where they would be spending the rest of their seven years in.  
  
**_James and Sirius_** went into their dorms early because they were itching to get settled early so that they could go out and explore the school. Then they had arrived at the Kings Cross Station they had sneaked in a couple of nifflers each.  
  
They had entered the train at different points in the train and let them run amuck in there.  
  
Afterwards when they had gotten to the castle they were interested to see how the sorting would take place.  
  
James could sense the nervousness radiating from his friend but Sirius had acted as though he wasn't nervous.  
  
But James saw his face when the sorting hat—they found out that when you put on the hat it would tell you what house you'll be in—shouted "Gryffindore."  
  
He was totally shocked and happy.  
  
Bellatrix had "disgusted" written all over face when James had searched for her at the Slytherin table but the joy on his friend face was indescribable.  
  
Sirius gave him thumbs up, then jumped and hit his two feet together in the air before sitting down.  
  
The crowd laughed at his antics.  
  
Okay now he was jealous.  
  
James could just see him smirking.  
  
Honestly though, he was really happy for Sirius, he really was.  
  
Then James resorted to start counting the amount of people who was getting into Gryffindore.  
  
The first bloke was a fellow named Ashton, Sirius was second and then James zoned out all of the other houses just to listen to who got into Gryffindore.  
  
Soon this other bloke who look sort of tired in James's opinion got sorted into Gryffindore as well but James hadn't gotten his name, he was too busy scowling at the hat.  
  
It forever in is opinion but the were finally down to the letter beginning with is last name. A girl was sorted into Gryffindore and then came a small boy who by all accounts looked like a Hufflepuff type of person but the hat somehow put him in Gryffindore.  
  
James didn't have to wait long anymore because his name was called and the hat had barely touched his head when it called out 'Gryffindore'.  
  
James was ecstatic but he had forced himself to remain cool and nonchalant when he went over to the table and low fived Sirius.  
  
Before they had had a chance to stare at their plates the headmaster, or the new headmaster rather as he announced had made a few announcements. There was something about a student exchange program to Durmstrang but James didn't particularly care about that so he hardly paid any attention.  
  
He barely heard that the third floor of the school was forbidden but told himself that he would ask Sirius if he wanted to see it later.  
  
After loading their plates with everything in sight, the boys had introduced themselves to each other.  
  
'Matthew Ashton.' Said the boy with the dark brown hair.  
  
'Shiriush,' Sirius started then stopped pounded his chest while he swallowed and started again, 'Sirius Black.'  
  
James followed suit with his name, 'James Potter.'  
  
'Remus Lupin.' Said the tired looking fellow had said then gave a tentative smile before putting chicken into his mouth.  
  
'Peter Pettigrew.' Was all the small blonde boy had said.  
  
_Before the night the first years met some of the people that they would remember for the rest of their lives._


	4. Annoying Brat

_**Hey there all...thanks so much for reading if it sounds rushed I'm sorry but better chapters are coming.**_

**_Thanks again_**

**_Luv Ya _**

**Chapter 4—Annoying Brat.**

It was exactly a year later did Lily walk up the girls side of the dorm steps in the Raven claw common room to start another year at the school with Jessie, Sasha, Anna and Hannah.

'Oh Merlin that boy is so annoying.'

Jessie rolled her eyes pertly and Sasha, Hannah and Anna laughed.

'Lily darling you couldn't possibly be talking about Potter now can you?'

'No Jessie, I'm talking about the Easter bunny. Who else would I be talking about? You ask as if you don't know when you do.'

'Oh I don't know maybe the fact that a certain third year asked you out who is rather dashing if I do say so myself and you turned him down.'

'Jessie Hun, please do not bring that up again. I'm angry enough as it is on the other matter.'

'Okay, sorry but I mean what Potter and Black did was funny.'

'It was not. It was horrid. I have been at the receiving end of a prank before and let me tell you something its not a good feeling to feel cornered.'

'Lily they turned my hair pink and I thought it was funny in a way though I'd never tell them that. That's why I walked around school for a week with pink hair.' Anna informed them.

'You never told us that.' Hannah exclaimed surprised.

'Yeah you always said that you like the colour that's why you kept it.' Sasha added looking at Anna who was perched on the dresser.

'Hey would you want to give them the satisfaction of a successful prank?'

'I guess not.' Hannah and Sasha agreed.

'Girls you're all missing the point of this discussion.'

'No we aren't Lily.'

'Yes you are. Can't you see that they are marauding imbeciles?'

'Especially Potter?' Jessie asked.

'Yes.'

'But what about Black, Lupin, Pettigrew and Ashton?'

Lily glared at all her friends. They had, had this basic conversation before. No matter how many times she got angry over something the Gryffindore boys did her friends either waved it off or didn't get angry enough.

Potter was clearly the ringleader. That much explains it all mainly for her disliking the bloke.

Black was almost as bad because you really couldn't separate the two of them and they seemed to chare in the causing trouble responsibilities.

Lupin seems nice enough but he and Pettigrew—who is sort of shy—go along to help them.

Ashton was different in a way but just because he didn't totally go around causing havoc doesn't mean that he should lose any of the blame even if his marauding is only part time.

'Lets just drop it okay?' Lily sighed knowing that it was just a lost cause.

'Okay Lily but I need to know one thing.'

'Yeah?'

'Why did you turn down Michael Johnston?'

Lily stared at her friends and wondered if she should tell them anything. It would suit them right not to know a thing for not backing her up.

When she had told him no in front of all of them, they were clearly taken aback by her behaviour. Especially Jessie and Anna. They were horrified.

'If you girls overheard what I did you would have done worse than just slapped him as I had done.'

'What did he do?' asked Hannah as she kicked off her shoes and went in search of her night things from her trunk.

Lily deciding that she might as well tell them folded her legs under her and told them.

'I was walking with, Dani you know Danielle Ginther to the train this morning and we over heard Mr. Johnston's brother David telling him that they only way to make Megan Matthews jealous was to go out with another girl. Davy boy arrogantly suggested that she should be someone from her own year so it would make her more upset if he asked out someone she knew.

'Though the thing about it was that I was surprised he picked me to ask. I mean I don't exactly look like someone to be jealous of.' Lily told them saying the last bit firmly.

'Aw Lil, I'm jealous of you.' Anna said reassuringly.

'Anna you're sweet but I'm skinny as a whip, I accept that. I just don't want a bloke who thinks they can use whom they think is a naïve little twit to their liking.' She replied knowingly before turning back to look for her toiletries.

Lily went into the showers and her thoughts involuntarily returned to the one James Potter. He was such a lean witted twit that it was not even funny.

May be not.

He was smart, to smart for his own good.

He and Black topped the first years score last year. Well he topped black but just barely. The two of them making her effort however look silly.

She had barely scraped third place.

She had to admit that she was impress but she wouldn't dare tell him that sort of thing to any of her friends much less him.

Of course they—she and James—hardly spoke to being with.

They only had Defence Against The Dark Arts and History of Magic with the Gryffindores but she disliked him from afar.

Because in their first class together Potter and Black had disrupted it from the beginning. Then later on in the year not only were Lupin and Pettigrew getting in on the act but Ashton as well.

Lily never really made and comments to them personally—she doubted that they even knew her first name—to show that she was angry and bothered by what they were doing.

But only her friends knew, not that they didn't like them as well, they did though the fact that they didn't dislike Potter and his group as much as she did made her feel at times like a horrid person while at other times there was another reason to feel horrid about disliking him.

Because it was about four months ago that something awful happened to him—Potter—that made her feel like a rotten fig for disliking him.

But even before that she disliked him and she heard by word of mouth that Potter and Black's family didn't get along to well, well that was putting it mildly. They hated each other but the two of them had still chosen to become friends.

But the thing that was strange was that something almost the same happened to Black nine months before but unlike Potter, Black hadn't shown any sadness to the fact that his father was missing.

Lily had been one of the few who saw Potter lash out at a classroom, smashing all the wooden desks when he heard the news—without his wand.

McGonagal had pretended that the magic was abnormal when she led Potter to Dumbledore's off ice to go home and she fooled a lot of people. But Lily felt that Potter knew more about magic than they had supposed to know at that year.

That's it no more thinking of James Potter.

It was gibing her the mother of all headaches. She decided to change the train of thought as she stepped into the shower and then thought back to the past summer holidays.

Petunia had come home from her school in Wales the day after her and from the time she met Lily at home she didn't talk to her.

Having spent the entire school year with people who actually talked to her and spent time with her she had grown up emotionally and this time she fought back. Spending the year with those four girls made her feel so free that the normal ignorance of Petunia really got her temper up.

For the entire time home the both of them fought over the smallest thing. Not that she was home all that often. She spent her time with her parents but whenever there was any call for her to stay alone with Petunia somewhere she left.

With Jessie living ten minutes away on bicycle she spent most of her free time—well when her mother allowed her—there.

Stepping out of the shower her thoughts involuntarily returned to Potter and when she realised that she scowled at her image on the mirror in front of her.

'Don't look like that dear. Your face may stay that way you know.' Her reflection stated to her.

Muttering a curse she dressed and walked back outside to where her friends had already packed way their things form their trunks.

_**.....**_

_An hour later all_ five of them were in their beds but sleep was the farthest thing from their minds as Jessie went and brought up William Hardison, the keeper of the Armor Charms.

Sirius was talking to his cousin Andromeda and her friend Amelia so James decided to play wizard's chess with Remus. Peter was still struggling to finish his history essay that was given to them over the summer holidays.

They arrived at Hogworts on a Saturday so Peter was lucky he had another day to finish.

Sirius has spent some of his summer with James who was very glad about it although he was slightly worried about his friend's behaviour—or lack of.

It has been nine months since Sirius's father had disappeared and four months since his own parents were killed.

His parents.

Just remembering still made his insides grow cold.

They were no longer with him. They were killed under "mysterious circumstances". Not that they told him that though. They—his grandparents—felt that he was too young to know the real reason for his parents' death.

He had over heard a ministry official talking to his grandparents about it.

Mr. and Mrs. Nicolas and Norma Potter were married twenty years ago. It may seem odd that they were only married twenty years when their son was thirty-seven years old when he died.

That was because Nicolas was not Harrison's father but his uncle. Harrison's father Joseph had left the family when Harrison was at his fifth year at Hogworts and divorced Norma a moth after.

Two years and two months later after Harrison left Hogworts his mother remarried Nicolas Potter—his father's brother—because they had fallen in love.

James never knew Joseph because since the day he left the family Harrison had never seen him again but he didn't mind he loved Nicolas and that's who his grandfather was which was all that had really mattered.

Even James knew how much Nicolas had meant to his father who respected him greatly because he never treated any of them any differently. He made up for the fact that his brother was so irresponsible.

James really appreciated his grandparents but it still wasn't the same as his own. He missed his parents but Sirius never mentions his father or any of his other family for that matter.

Last year Bellatrix had taken the chance to leave Hogworts behind and left in the exchange program. This year she was staying. The headmaster was very pleased with her abilities in the dark arts.

Sirius and his older cousin Andromeda or Andy rather didn't have to tell people how happy they were about that James could tell but just looking at them.

It was a week or so later and they were just getting back into a familiar routine but suddenly it seemed as though it wasn't really the same.

James looked across at the group of girls sitting under a tree nest to the green houses. The blonde looked at him and smiled and he felt this odd sensation.

He wanted to get to her better. He actually though he liked her. He knew what he wanted to do. He'd go ask her to be his girlfriend first chance he got.

He got his chance when they got up and walked towards the grass towards the Great hall entrance. He knew her name of course. She was in his herbology class. Caitlin something or the other… he really didn't care about her last name anyway.

He waited until most of her friends had passed the hearing distance and he called out to her.

Within minutes he had asked her, her name, introduced himself cheekily and asked her to be his girlfriend.

She looked at him and he couldn't have decided whether she was going to say yes or no. She chose the former.

Grinning he left her with a kiss on the cheek and met up with Sirius in the common room to brag about what he had done.

Leah Carrier walked towards the greenhouse with her friend Jenna. Jessie and Lily were walking behind them. It was entering October and they were following the Slytherins down the hill towards the green houses where herbology was about to take place.

For second year students Leah and Jenna acted very much as though they were in third speaking to know whom they think is immature. They felt that they were superior to all girls and they didn't have to tell Jessie and Lily that it was seen by all of the girls in their year.

Maybe that was why they weren't particularly liked.

The Ravenclaws were always on the whole cleverer than the Slytherins but that didn't stop them from competing.

However the enmity of the Slytherins were more towards the Gryffindores.

Leah and Jenna walked into the green house and took the seats directly across from the boys in Lily and Jessie's house.

When she and Jessie finally joined Hannah and Sasha they were rolling their eyes obviously at Leah and Jenna. The two girls were always so predictable because they do that every time.

Anna had barely made it into the class when the professor started talking about Genovacrates.

After the class was over it was dinnertime and the girls walked into the great hall and sat at their table.

'Ugh! Disgusting!' Anna exclaimed.

'What is?' Lily asked and all of them turned to where Anna was pointing.

'They're _kissing _in the great hall?' exclaimed Hannah.

The kissing couple in question was James Potter and Caitlin Steele. A Gryffindore and a Hufflepuff snogging out in front of nearly everyone.

It was barely three weeks ago that the news went around school that the two of them were a couple but they were kissing in front of everyone.

Lily looked on to the teachers' table. No one was there yet.

How could twelve year olds be kissing like that?

Finally they broke off and Cat smiled at Potter before heading to her own table past Lily's.

After she left Jessie snorted into her hands.

'Did you see the look on her face. You'd think the bloke was the best kisser on the planet.' Anna said in disgust.

Lily knew she hated when girls got all soft like that and thought the world rotated around one boy.

'What? Have you kissed a bloke and found _him_ to be the best kisser in the world.' Jessie asked Anna tongue in cheek.

'Oh for heavens sake.' She replied scandalized and then started to laugh.

'Hey at least they weren't French kissing.' Sasha added after the laughter died down.

'I know,' exclaimed Lily. 'That would have been beyond disgusting.' She said then turned to looked at Potter in the Gryffindore table.

He had leaned to tell Black something and the both of them laughed. It seemed at though everyone was growing up because Potter had a girlfriend and if he had one then yeah, everyone was growing up.

James could wait to try out for the Quidditch team that had the position of seeker and beater open.

He was the only second year trying out for the Gryffindore team Sirius and Matthew were trying out also. But after a few trail runs Matthew and Sirius didn't get in.

Two other blokes that were in the third year got them. James was called back for a final test and he passed.

He was now the Gryffindore seeker.

It wasn't until after Halloween that James found out that Sirius wasn't thinking about dating just yet.

Sure he was flirting with the first and second year girls—he was even flirting with the third years though they chose to ignore him—but he wasn't asking anyone of them out.

James knew he wasn't going for any first year girls because like James he thought that liking a first year was like hitting yourself over the head with a frying pan.

But James was in for the chock of his life because two weeks later Sirius had gone and asked Katrina Hart who was a first year Gryffindore to be his girlfriend.

James didn't bother to ask his friend if he had lost his mind. He figured that Sirius would see the light soon enough.

Christmas came and He had Sirius left Hogworts to go to his grandparents' house. Remus went home to his mothers while Peter and Matthew stayed in school.

Lily had gone home also, as well as Jessie and Sasha but Anna and Hannah had to stay at school because their parents were going to Rome and Athens respectively.

When everyone came home form Christmas holidays work started as usual.

By the end of January it was just as James predicted. Sirius had broken up with Kat though he wouldn't say why.

Easter holidays came and they were loaded with more homework than ever before. He particularly hated the library now.

Maybe it was because he was spending more and more time there everyday.

The Quidditch final came and since last year the Gryffindores finished in last place the finals was a big step.

They fought against Ravenclaw but even though James caught the snitch in they lost by ten points.

By the time exams rolled around he, Sirius, Remus and Peter hardly had time to pull any more pranks.

Matthew was hanging around with a couple of girls studying and he felt the pressure when they left because he had to study harder than when he was with them.

They were very distracting.

Anna was writing over an essay while studying. Jessie was meditating while humming spells like a mantra.

Sasha was besides herself reading form the _Standard books of Spells_ and not remembering a thing about what she read only a few minutes before.

Hannah and Lily were quizzing each other back and forth about the different type of potions they learned this year and even he year before.

By the beginning of July everyone was feeling the relief of the end of exams. There was a couple more days left before going back home and James felt that his relationship was going sour with Caitlin and broke up with her.

HE could tell she was mad about how he did with when she slapped his face. He had told her in front of his friends and she had gotten mad and embarrassed and let him have it.

Soon they were all packing their trunks and heading off towards the great hall for the leaving feast.

After a great meal they took the horseless carriages back to the Hogsmede station where they took the train home.

The end of another year.


	5. Little Miss Prissy Pants

_Hey there thanks for waiting so long, this was a long chapter. Hope its not to boring for u._

_Luv Ya Guys _

_::kisses::_

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**Chapter 5 – Little Miss Prissy Pants.**  
  
James walked down towards the horseless carriages with Sirius, Matt, Remus and Peter when he noticed a group of girls standing near one of the carriages and his had flew to his hair.  
  
He put it down right away when he recognised one of them.  
  
It was a red head. The same red head that had been scowling at him since last year. Not that he was intimidated by her at the least but she was always looking at him as though she was angry with him for some reason. He did even know her name he always called her Miss Prissy pants in his head because he never paid attention to her name when they were in class.  
  
But always at lunch or breakfast and even dinner there she was scowling at him as though he was a mean dog going after am innocent cat. He turned his attention back towards his friends. He and Sirius had noticed a while ago that Remus was walking slowly as if nursing an ache but they didn't say anything.  
  
They didn't even mention anything about his disappearances every month. And he did disappear every month. No one really seemed to realize that it was odd for a twelve year old boy to be disappearing into the night for a day of two then coming back to look like a giant attacked him. He let Remus, Peter and Matt go up into the carriage first before following with Sirius.  
  
'Fellows?' Sirius whined.  
  
They all looked at him and knew what was bugging him. He got like that last year and apparently this year wasn't any different.  
  
'Yes.' The all chorused.  
  
'I want to pull a prank.'  
  
None of them were surprised but they looked at him as though he was a child.  
  
'Oh come on you know you want to. I even know James has been planning some great ones over the summer.'  
  
'How do you know that? I wasn't planning on showing you any until we reached in school. I even hid it when you came over.'  
  
'Ah my good lad. I know where you hide everything.' Sirius replied in an all-knowing voice and the boys snorted with laughter and threw pieces if parchment at him.  
  
At the sorting ceremony things were sort of different than the other year. For instance there was a new girl in school. Not like any of the first years but a girl who was going to be in her third year.  
  
Stephanie Aurora Parker.  
  
While she walked up to the stool and put the hat on her head James and Sirius made catcalls at her. A few seconds later the hat shouted that she would be placed in Ravenclaw and while the table who got a new third year cheered James, Sirius and Peter booed.  
  
James looked and saw the red headed girl glaring at him again. What did he do? Oh.  
  
Then he remembered they were booing at her table. Well whatever. It was not as though they were dragging the girl kicking and screaming to their table because it was better and it was. James was sitting there contemplating whether or not he should go up to her and ask if she wouldn't mind point her nose somewhere else.  
  
He then decided that it would be better if he ignored her. After all what did he care if some female didn't like him? There were plenty who did and that's not boasting. Before he ignored her though he turned around again and waited for a while to get eye contact and when he did he stuck his tongue out at her. He saw her face get a shocked look and then turned away.  
  
But it was when he turned his attention towards the head table where the headmaster was about to speak that he recalled her abnormally bright green eyes. They were beautiful and it was a wonder he could have seen them at all from that far away but he did and it was a memorable thing those green eyes.  
  
Yeah her green eyes were memorable but she sure wasn't. He didn't even know her name. It was no skin off his back if he ignored her for the rest of the school years. As he started to plough through his food a brilliant thought came to him and he looked at Sirius who was too busy stuffing himself to see what an opportunity this was.  
  
He'd tell him and the others tonight.

_

* * *

_

_Lily was surprised_ when they got a new girl in their dorms but she seemed nice. Stephanie Aurora Parker was taller than Lily by about half an inch and had golden blonde hair to her red. She would be the only blonde out of all the third year Ravenclaw girls.  
  
'Hi there.'  
  
'Hey.' They all chorused.  
  
'Its nice to meet you all.' She said.  
  
Anna grinned at her. 'Yeah its nice now but you won't feel the same once you get to know us.'  
  
Stephanie laughed and Hannah continued, 'Yeah but you'll still love us. We like to give a nice impression on people. By the way Stephanie, I'm Hannah Walker, this is Anna Borucka, that one there stuffing chicken into her mouth is Sasha Dhanaram'—who immediately dropped the chicken and smiled sheepishly at Stephanie—'Her cousin Jessie Adams is next to her and that Lily Evans across form you. All five of us are in the same year.'  
  
'Don't call me Stephanie only my parents call me that. Stefi will do just fine.' She said look at all of them.  
  
That evening the girls showed Stefi around the main areas of the school before leading her back towards the Ravenclaw tower. It was early the next morning that Stefi got her introduction to the boys of Gryffindore year three. Anna was walking with her towards the great hall when Matthew and Remus stopped them.  
  
'Hi there girls. We'd like to introduce ourselves.' Remus said smiling at the two of them.  
  
'Yes Stefi, that's Ashton and that's Lupin, there introduction complete.' Anna said hurriedly because she didn't like the looks on their faces and turned to go when she heard someone mutter a spell.  
  
Mind u she could make out exactly what the spell was but she knew an incantation when she heard one. Turning she was just in time to see Stefi squeal slightly clamp her hands to her mouth. Anna hadn't gotten to see what was the spell about but she glared at the retreating backs of the two boys.  
  
'Stefi what did they do u you?'  
  
'They gave me bearty botts every flavoured bean.' Stefi said. But that should have come out like nothing. Instead what shot out from her mouth was fire.  
  
Which almost hit Anna but missed an ended up bouncing off the wall near a painting,  
  
'Hey watch it.' A painting called glaring angrily at the two girls.  
  
Anna ignored it and focused on Stefi who looked as though she was getting angry. Poor girl, second day at the school and now she had to go the infirmary. After taking her to the hospital Anna went to get the others.

* * *

_'That was brilliant James.'_  
  
'I know it was wasn't it?' James replied to Peter's compliment after they got back to the Gryffindore common room.  
  
'Yeah yeah, Jamie but when did you make those?' Sirius asked. Keene on knowing where his friend got the time to make them. He was there at James house all the time.  
  
James smirked at him. Remaking Bertty Botts every flavoured beans was pure genius on his part.  
  
The red bean they gave to Stephanie Parker was supposed to be pepper flavoured but all James had to do was dip it in a potion—one that his grandfather made for him without the knowledge of his grandmother who wouldn't approve—and say the spell after the person eats it. Then poof you're breathing fire.  
  
'Aw poor Sirius. Did I not tell you?' then he laughed. 'You thought you saw all my ideas this summer but you didn't. I cooked this baby up a month after summer holidays started.'  
  
Sirius looked put down.  
  
'Don't look at me like that. I know you don't tell me everything that you think up, why should I tell you?  
  
Sirius conceded. 'Okay fine James but I have to admit I love those.' And smiled sheepishly before adding, 'Want to try remaking chocolate frogs?' and raised an eyebrow.  
  
_

* * *

_

_Lily and Hannah had_ walked into the hospital wing ten minutes after Stefi was admitted. Anna had practically run to the dormitories to tell them. Hogwarts was a big place. While they had gone to the hospital to be with Stefi Anna had gone to find Jessie and Sasha in the great hall to let them know what had happened.  
  
When they too arrived Madam Nolfi had everything under control. Well as under control as she could have everything under the circumstances. Stefi was breathing fire anymore but steam was come from her mouth.  
  
'Who were those awful boys?' she asked once she was able to.  
  
'You have even seen all of them. There are five of them, they are the Gryffindore boys.' Anna informed her.  
  
'Yeah well they're a horrible bunch.' She muttered as she drank the last bit of potion that was set out for her.  
  
'The two you saw were Matthew Ashton and Remus Lupin as I told you before but the three others are Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black and James Potter.'  
  
'Yes and I must add that this little prank has Potter written all over it.' Lily added.  
  
'Oh my word aren't there any decent boys around here?'  
  
'They aren't all bad,' Jessie defended. 'Remus is nice.' She said a bit defiantly.  
  
They all turned to stare at her.  
  
'It's true he is.' She said as if the look they gave her contradicted what she had just said.  
  
It was Lily turn to speak and she said almost the same thing as Jessie. ' I have to admit Jessie is right. I've talked to him a couple of times last year. He was nicer than the other boys.'  
  
'You all can think what you want but I don't like any one of them.'  
  
The girls nodded. They had to agree that the boys shouldn't have done what they did. This time Lily pointed out that she knew that they shouldn't have done all those things to people and it was finally time someone sided with her. Although Anna, Hannah, Sasha and Jessie had never really liked them they were disappointed at what they did to Steffi.  
  
But Jessie still felt that Remus shouldn't be included in that and it became evident on Lily that her friend seemed to have a different view of Remus Lupin from what they had altogether.  
  
_

* * *

_

_Jessie had walked_ up to her dorm room when she saw Lily there, who looked as though she was anxious about something though she was sure it wasn't a bad anxious like she was in trouble or something but rather she was excited about something and _that_ made Jess nervous.  
  
Lily looked and saw her then grinned madly.  
  
'Jessie darling, come on and have a seat.'  
  
Jessie looked at her friend warily. 'Uh yeah sure.' And moved slowly to where Lily was motioning on the bed.  
  
'Now Jessie, I've learned something about you that I feel that you should know that we know.'  
  
'We you just said I, and whatever are you talking about. You make it seem as though I have a big dark secret hidden way into my trunk at the bottom of my bed.'  
  
'And you're saying you don't have any kind of secret?' Lily replied smirking a little.  
  
When Lily looked at her like that she started to get even more nervous. No she didn't have a deep dark secret lurking in the shadows of her trunk, what on earth was Lily talking about? Jessie wracked her brain to figure out why Lily could be acting so weird and came up with nothing. She hadn't done anything devious that she never told anyone about.  
  
'No,' she affirmed.  
  
'You're sure now. I don't want to tell you something that you're going kill me for knowing.'  
  
'Yes, what are you talking about?'  
  
'The fact that you're in love with Remus Lupin.'  
  
'Where in the cold bloody hell did you here that?' Jessie asked. She for one didn't tell her.  
  
'So you don't like Remus?'  
  
'I never said that. In fact I never said anything that even remotely indicated that I liked anyone.'  
  
'Oh yes you did.'  
  
'When? When did I say I like a boy?'  
  
'This morning.'  
  
Still Jessie couldn't fathom what her best friend was saying.  
  
'I still have no idea what you are talking about Lily.'  
  
'I saying that you nearly declared your feelings for Remus without really meaning to.'  
  
'Huh?'  
  
'You know what I mean.'  
  
'See you don't even know what you're talking about. Talking in round about phrases as though it means something.'  
  
'And it doesn't? You have a crush on him admit it. You've defended him valiantly and I must say I have seen that look ever pass across a girl's face unless she has a certain something for a guy, or the guys she was talking about.'  
  
While Lily was saying all this Jessie was muttering dark things under her breath, not wanting to admit to her friend that she did have any sort of feelings for any boy especially Remus. Well what she felt for him wasn't exactly feelings per Ce but just stuff. Okay fine she did like him. Not that he would ever ask her out or anything, far as she knew he doesn't have a girlfriend but that didn't mean something.  
  
A lot of people in school didn't have and sort of relationship with the opposite sex. Besides she was too young. Well she kept telling herself that and she believed it. It didn't matter that she wanted a boyfriend. Women were independent.  
  
'What's it to you who I may or may not like?' Jessie finally replied and couldn't help but smile at Lily's exuberance.  
  
'I knew it.' She practically squealed and rushed over and grabbed her arms. 'Come on you have to ask him out.'  
  
'_Me_ ask _him_ out? Are you mad?' She exclaimed but way in the back of her mind a voice berated her, _like if you haven't thought of that yourself_ and Jessie pointedly ignored it.  
  
'Do I look mad Jessie?' Lily returned.  
  
Jessie wasn't sure if she should answer her best friend right now. Lily wouldn't like the answer because she already looked sort of off her rockers.  
  
'Never mind don't answer that.' Lily muttered because Jessie was looking as though she might agree with the question.  
  
'I don't want to ask him out Lily.' Jessie said returning to the subject at hand after a few seconds.  
  
'Ha! You admit it you like him.'  
  
It was then Jessie realised she should have just said she didn't like him. Shoot it wasn't as though she had stars in her eyes or something. Or did she? She thought and looked at the mirror to the side of her. She couldn't see any stars. Then she sighed with resignation she might as well admit it.  
  
'Yes I like him is that what you wanted to hear?'  
  
'Yes, of course I do but I already knew that. Sash suspects something but she hasn't put it together yet. So why won't you ask him?'  
  
'I have thought of asking him but I don't know for sure. I flirt with him to see if you know, he flirts back but I don't think he does sometimes so I don't know.'  
  
'So you're basing al this on the fact that he doesn't flirt with you?'  
  
'Well...yes.'  
  
Lily shook her head as though she thought Jessie was doing this all wrong before saying, 'you should ask him, boys are at this stage where they won't go up to somebody and ask them out.'  
  
'But Potter and Black do it.'  
  
'Jessie, I'm talking about _normal_ people.' She said and Jessie laughed.  
  
'Lily so what, I just go up to him and ask him out? I ran it over a dozen times in my head it won't work and I would look like a total obsessed-can't- let-a-bloke-to-ask-her-out-dork.'  
  
'You won't trust me.'  
  
'I'll think about it.'  
  
'Great that's all you need to do ... for now anyway.'  
  
It was still fresh in her mind as she looked at Potter. What was still fresh was the harsh prank he pulled on Steffi. She had never seen a more conceited git in her life. She looked at Potter who was sitting under a tree with his friends and the new girl in his life, some poor misguided girl in Lily's opinion. Black's new companion was there as well. Lily then recognised the two girls as Kim and the other one was Jenna. How like boys to go out with a Hufflepuff and a Slytherin.  
  
Remus and Peter weren't there with any girls so that still made it clear that Remus didn't have a girlfriend. Next to her Jessie and Sash was going on and on about their cousin Sarah who was three years older than themselves and was in sixth yeah.  
  
It didn't do well that she snubbed them around her Gryffindore friends. That was another thing she thought she was better than them because she is the only one in their generation to get into Gryffindore.  
  
Steffi was with them as well she kept shooting glares at Potter and his gang. It was about fifteen minutes later that the marauders as they announced they would liked to be called because it was their dear Professor McGonagall who gave them that name were alone from their girlfriends.  
  
Poor Professor Lily sympathized. It was her first year teaching transfiguration at Hogwarts and she had already blown a fuse. Unfortunately this year they had more classes with the Gryffindore House. Transfiguration was one of them. The others were History of Magic, Charms and Care of Magical Creatures.  
  
The Professor had deemed them Marauding Juveniles when they pulled a prank on her. That was yesterday their last day of the month of September. Four weeks had passed and Jessie still hadn't gotten up the courage to ask Remus out. She was debating back and forth. By now Sasha had figured it out and then the others found out from there.  
  
They told her that she should. She had said yes she should as well one minute and when the time came for her to actually do it she backed away. Turning back to look at them Lily noted that they were laughing. She didn't know why but looking at Potter laughing made her angry.  
  
Getting up she stalked over to them. His hand shot to his hair when he saw her but as a bolt of recognition passed through his eyes he lowered it slowly.  
  
'Listen Potter, I'm only going to tell you this once. You had better not pull any more curses and pranks on other unsuspecting students again otherwise I would personally tell the Headmaster what you're up to.'  
  
James who by now had learned her named was amused. In all their classes together she had always been the first to put up her hand in response to a question form the teacher. Evans was who she was though it really didn't matter to him what her first name was he could tell she was a goody too shoes. It was obvious from her stance and the fire that flashed through her eyes.  
  
'Listen Little Miss Prissy Pants; I don't care what you think. You should learn to mind your own bloody business. I never did anything to you personally so you should keep out of my way.' He said before getting up and leaving her in his dust. He knew his friends would follow eventually.  
  
One by one they did get up to follow him. Peter and Sirius passed with out so much as a word. By this time the rest of the girls had heard and came over to where Lily was standing shell-shocked.  
  
When Remus passed he shot an apologetic look in Lily's direction before turning to follow the rest of them.  
  
'Of all the bloody nerve.' She grounded out after they left.  
  
'Now Lily calm down.' Hannah said.  
  
'I am calm Hannah love, don't I look calm?'  
  
Seeing their looks she quickly added, 'never mind don't answer that.'  
  
'You should not have confronted him. Now he'll prank you for sure.' Anna remarked.  
  
'Oh just let him try, arrogant prat and I'll show him.'  
  
The girl knew better than to argue with Lily when she got into that mood but when Lily remembered Remus just left she suddenly turned back into her old self.  
  
When she looked at Jessie with that glint in her eye the girl knew what she was thinking.  
  
'No Lily, no I won't go. I'm not prepared. No.'  
  
'But Jessie, you should better than anyone that making up things on the spot gives the best information.'  
  
'Go on couz what can it hurt.' Sash remarked.  
  
'It can hurt plenty. What if I embarrass myself? I know I would want to dig an early grave if that's the case. You guys don't want me to die from embarrassment do you?' she asked her grasping at straws for them to tell her that she shouldn't do it.  
  
'Jessie the best advice I can give you is get it over with. If you won't you'll be wondering about it the rest of your days. If all else fails you can always use _obliviate_.' Stefi said wisely.  
  
Her eyes lit up. Yes that's the ticket. She would do that.  
  
'Okay Steffi, I agree I'd better go. Wish me luck guys.'  
  
Jessie hurried in the direction Remus was heading in. she nervously clutched her wand with her left hand before calling out to him.  
  
'Lupin?' she called out first. '... Remus?' she called again when he didn't answer.  
  
He turned and smiled when he saw her. 'Hello.'  
  
She was a little breathless when she caught up to him but she smiled in response. 'Hi.'  
  
He looked at her expectantly and she wondered if she should. She did notice that she was loosing her nerve. She needed to ask now otherwise she wouldn't ever ask again.  
  
'Um Remus, would you mind if I asked you something personal?'  
  
'I don't know I guess that depends on what it is.' Remus replied. He was slightly nervous. The last time some one asked if they could talk to him about something personal was James and he had been with Sirius and Peter.  
  
They knew now what he had been hiding from everyone except the headmaster since he got into the school.  
  
He really tried not to let his anxiety show. For that reason and another. There was something else that made him nervous but he couldn't show it.  
  
'Well you see the thing is... its not a thing really it's a situation.'  
  
'What is it?'  
  
'Um would you like to go to Hogsmede with me?' Jessie asked still clutching her wand ready to draw it.  
  
Remus grinned that cheeky grin that made her like him in the first place.  
  
'Sure.' He answered and felt an odd sense of relief. One for not guessing his secret and the other for making his other nervousness evaporate.  
  
He was too inhibited to ask her out in the first place. He flirted with her a few times, or what he thought was flirting watching James and Sirius do it all the time and even went as far as too help her with her books but he couldn't get the words to ask. He was glad she did.  
  
He was impressed.  
  
It was the beginning of a great relationship.


	6. You have GOT to be joking!

_Hey guys thanks for reading. I know. this is the longest chapter so far and i must say that i think that it might be oneof the few that is this long!_

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_Thanks for reading_

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_Luv Yas_

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**Chapter 6- You have got to be Joking.**

'Come on guys help me find my Quidditch robes.' Hannah nagged one bright very early morning. She joined the Ravenclaw Quidditch team last year. The year they spent as real teenagers for the first time. They—Jessie, Lily, Anna, Sasha, Stefi and finally Hannah—groaned and Hannah who was now looking at her friends pleadingly went over in the middle of all the beds.

'Come on guys its not my fault that we have to get started picking out people for our team this early in the morning.'

'Hannah, it's bleeping six in the morning. This early is an understatement.' Jessie groaned from under her pillow.

It was then Hannah remembered something. 'You want me to beat Gryffindore don't you?' Hannah new at least three of them would be on her side for a few minutes and she was right.

Lily, Stefi and Sasha all forcefully pulled themselves out of bed. They all had their reason for disliking the Gryffindores. Last year, their third year was filled with interesting accidents. Or not. Lily's dislike of James Potter, seeker of the Gryffindore Quidditch team increased when he orchestrated a prank against their new dorm mate, Stefi on her first, well second day of school here at Hogwarts. So that prank gained them another member of hate the Gryffindore boys. Sash, well she was a different story. Hannah wasn't sure how she got to dislike the Gryffindore boys so much. Lily and Stefi never really asked her they just was glad she was on their side for once. Jessie hadn't really changed her opinion of the Marauders, as they liked to be called. Maybe it was because she was dating of them? Yesterday had made it a year since the two of them started going out, as Jessie would remind them every day. Jessie had made the first move and asked the bloke out and now it seemed that it was a match made in heaven or so she would like to think.

None of them had a boyfriend so it was because of Jessie they had hope. All of them were fourteen years old and though a couple of them would really care for a boyfriend right now it was hard not to be interested in them. According to Anna it was in the blood. Women can't live with them and they can't live without them. Lily stubbornly said that it was a girl's prerogative to be without a man. They don't really need them. Independence was the way to go. They all changed a lot over the year too. Because they hadn't seen each other as much for the two months made the changes stand out more but all of them were slightly different. Lily had gotten taller and gained a bit of weight, which she gladly embraced. Sasha and Jessie had got taller as well but Jess was taller than Sash and pointed it out gladly rubbing it in her cousin's face. Anna and Steffi's hair had changed mot of all both getting a bit longer but looked different in new styles. Hannah really didn't think she had changed and twisted her trainer top more snugly on her self, okay so she had biceps. She hadn't really though of that as changed but she figured Quidditch could do that for you.

Hannah was also the youngest player on the team so far. Since they were recruiting two new people that day she might not be the youngest anymore. Lily, Stefi and Sasha pulled themselves out of bed each thinking that Hannah could never find anything on her own. After about five minutes they found her robes and climbed back into bed.

'Thanks guys, see you later.' She said before disappearing. The dun hadn't even risen properly but she was hyper and ready to go. They could have strangled her for being such a morning person.

It was a half an hour later that Sasha got up from her bed. She couldn't go back to sleep so she thought that she might as well be the first to use the bathroom. When she came out Anna was stretching, in the act of climbing out of bed. So by the time eight o clock had rolled around all five were awake and dressed. They blamed waking up this early on a Saturday morning on Hannah. At breakfast the Great Hall was scarce but they did see Sasha and Jessie's cousin, Sarah and her friends at the Gryffindore table. Of course just like any other time they were pointedly ignored. Lily didn't understand why their family was like that, mind you she wasn't one to talk because of her sister but if she had cousins she would be the best of friends with them.

Just like Jessie and Sasha who tormented each other but only in fun. This past summer had been the worst. Petunia had constantly called her the freak of nature but Lily had hardly paid her any mind. Their parents Lily knew were getting worried about their daughters and their mutual dislike for one another. Of course like normal parents they wanted to see a family physiologist—a muggle therapist— but Lily, although wanted her family to love each other and live happily ever after had to convince her parents that they couldn't see the doctor because how would they explain Lily's schooling and the fact that one of the main reasons for Petunia's dislike for her was because she was a witch.

Of course she really didn't dislike people often. She made it a rule never to hate people so to dislike was kinder. Like, Potter for instance. Ever since she confronted him nearly a year ago he had made it his personal crusade to prank her. She didn't know why she had to open her big mouth. Just last week he had magnetised her shoes. She could walk to any of her classes with out people's hair and metal things sticking to her feet. She fixed it by lunch but she also wanted to fix him. To her utter morality she didn't do anything to him with seeming as though she was bad as he was.

Also she made it a point never to provoke him. She had in fact told her friends that if they ever see her going blue from holding her breath in anger towards Potter to get him out of her sight and at least hit her so that she could stop. And then as if it was her mind had conjured him up James Potter entered the great hall and Lily unwillingly remembered what Jessie had mentioned to her a while ago and scowled. At the beginning of the year she had gotten into a fight with him and had stalked into the dorm room. There, Jessie had come in and listened to her tirade but she had also said something else. Something that Lily never ever wanted repeated again.

Of course it was just a fleeting thought on Jessie's part because she hardly believed it herself. It was a long shot but she had said it anyway.

'Lily calm down, have you ever thought about the real reason that you dislike James so much?'

Lily had raised her eyebrow, 'James? Since when you started to refer to him as James? OH wait never mind I know you date one of his best friends of course you would call him by his first name. But to answer your question yes I have thought about it. I don't make it my personal mission to dislike anybody so I know why he drives me crazy. It's the fact that he always hexes and pranks everyone with regard for their feelings. And people have feelings you know.'  
  
'Lily I know he does that but they encourage it sometimes. Like the Slytherins for instance, you think Lucious Malfoy just like to sit idly by and see the Gryffindores beat them in Quidditch or anything else? They purposely goad them sometimes, especially Sirius and him. Snape can't stand them either as well. So cut him a little slack sometimes.'

'I would Jessie but how do you explain the others? And me for instance.'

'I can't really but you must remember as well that if you hadn't confronted him last year he wouldn't have known who you were really.'

That was another thing that made her mad at him; it was as though she hadn't really existed to him until she had confronted him. Which was bloody annoying. Then Jessie had dropped that stupid bombshell on her. Like if she was supposed to forget what her best friends said, even if she wasn't sure of it herself.

'When you think about it Lily, I know this might not be true I highly doubt it myself but what if all this anger has to do with something else besides him being a sort of bully.'

'What are you going on about Jessie?'

'I mean Lily that it could probably be that you have a different sort of feelings for him. That you may like him.'

'You have got to be joking. Please tell me that you are.' Lily had asked incredulously.

'I'm not really. I don't really believe it but you have to think too that there may be some truth to it but not in your case. I read in this magazine that when girls and boys really appear to hate each other somewhere under the surface there is an underlying attraction towards the other.' Jessie said but had stopped and looked at Lily's scowl. 'Hey its what the magazine said but let me finish. Okay the underlying attraction is more passionate than any kind of other relationship because since it's a love/hate thing the passion you use in hate will be so much more useful toward the love part of the relationship.'

'But Jessie you're forgetting one thing I don't hate him, I just dislike his personality a tiny bit. Okay a whole lot but that doesn't mean anything.'

'I know that Lily I'm just letting you know what the Magazine says. And as I said before I hadn't really believed it really but it really did remind me so much of you and James.'

'Those people probably don't know what they're talking about.'

'But Lily they took a survey and it was the most promising witches and wizards in the therapeutically known world. Okay, okay I give I'll drop it. As I said before I highly doubted it anyway.' She said and finished the last part quickly.

After that Jessie never brought up the subject again and as Lily looked at one of the banes of her existence stuffing him self with food Lily snorted. Her and James? An underlying attraction? Yeah right. Not in this bloody millennium.  
  
James and the others headed down to the great hall for breakfast. He, Matt and Sirius should have had Quidditch practice that morning but the Ravenclaw team had booked the pitch first so they had nothing to do really than sit there and feed eggs and sausages into his mouth. He looked of over that the table in question and saw the girls of his same year. One of them was Remus's girl and she was pretty cool. So far Remus had the longest standing relationship with a girl but he had said he wasn't going to share his forbidden secret with her. They all of course new of it.

But one thing they weren't going to let Remus go through alone was becoming a werewolf every month at the full moon. All of them were studying and researching. They were going to become something that they hoped would help their friend during his transformation. So that he wouldn't be alone and lose to the animal within him. Of course James had agreed with him. It was his secret; he could do what he wanted with it. But James, Sirius and even Peter had come up with their limit of excuses. Remus had his first batch of excuses used up within the first six months, the same ones he had used on them when they had asked. For the other months they other three had come with the rest.  
  
'James would you stop looking over there.' Exclaimed Sirius who was sitting there buttering his toast and looking James at the same time.  
  
'Looking over where Sirius. I have no idea what you're talking about.' James replied scowling because he was caught doing something he caught himself doing a couple times. Not because he wanted to mind you. He didn't even find her pretty he said to himself over and over.  
  
One of these days he'll believe that, he was sure. The girl was a bloody pest and didn't sit well with him that he found her to be easy on the eyes.  
  
'Never mind James I understand where you're coming from.' He said but James knew Sirius had no idea what he was talking about. Sirius prided himself to being able to dish out subsequent support and advice to anyone. It didn't matter that half of what he said didn't make sense.  
  
Sirius said he understood but he probably though James looking over there to think about a prank that needed to be pulled on her. Well he was partly right. He didn't know why but he wanted to show Lily Evans that she should judge people without knowing how they worked. Evans didn't know the first thing about how he operated. And he for one wasn't going to tell her. Pulling pranks on her somehow satisfied his soul in getting back at her. Of course none of it was dangerous. It was just orchestrated to annoy the hell out of her. She hadn't spoke directly to him since last year. He partly enjoyed that and he partly could wait for when she finally burst.  
  
Just then their Quidditch Captain—a seventh year—Bryan Carey and a part time Marauder Matthew Ashton came up to them. Bryan was the lead chaser on their team and Matt was their keeper. James played seeker, the spot he got two years ago. Sirius was one of the beaters. The other people who held the other positions are a sixth year girl who was a chaser—Nadia Blanca—another seventh year, who was Sirius's cousin —Andi— was the other chaser and the last person on the team was Jared Dunn who was in sixth year and a the last beater.  
  
They were a pretty good team and won against Slytherin last year after slaughtering the Ravenclaw team. They didn't win by much mind you, twenty points was little to win by.  
  
'Hey there, well I've booked the pitch for sure tomorrow morning so be ready, I hear that the Slytherin team has gotten better this year.' James highly doubted that the Slytherins will ever be a better team but they almost lost to them last year so he really couldn't say much. He just nodded knowing that they were going to train harder this year.  
  
Matt then went and sat next to his girlfriend of four months Kit. She was the twin sister to Kat, one of Sirius's exes. Sitting there they loaded up their plates and started eating with the rest of them.  
  
After Remus was finished with his breakfast he left them and went to sit next to his girl and her friends. James then decided to ditch his mates and go chat up some girls. After all he was single once more.  
  
Kim hadn't worked out and since then he had decided not to ask anyone out again. Well at least for the rest of the year. Since it was almost October in the new school year he figured that he might as well find himself a good companion to take out to Hogsmede. Walking out of the great hall it seemed like fate that the first person to see walking down the corridor was Leah Carrier. Although she was in Slytherin she impressed him very much. It was well known around the school that Leah didn't like a lot of girls her age. Especially Megan Matthews and Arlene Gil from his own House and year as well as most of the Ravenclaw girls.  
  
Lily Evans included. Actually she and her friend Jenna really seemed to dislike Lily and her friend Jessie, who was Remus's girlfriend. He seemed to have something in common with her and she was also really pretty. She always flirted with him but he never really thought about asking her out until now. He wondered if she was seeing someone. If she was he probably was someone in the older years. He liked her for that too. She thought of herself more maturely than the rest of the girls, he really liked that. Spotting him she flashed him a smile and he slowed down, he really hadn't decided if he should ask her out yet.  
  
'Hello James. It's so nice to see you. I was hope we could get together soon. I really need to ask you about that Potions assignment we got yesterday.' She said smiling again and he saw all her perfect teeth lined up.  
  
Potions assignment? There wasn't really a Potions assignment. In fact there was one but unless he missed his guess he was sure it was seriously simple, he could have figured it out in a few seconds and he knew she could have too. Grinning at her he saw what she was getting at.  
  
'Yeah sure, when would you like to study?' he replied smoothly. He was only will to do so much in the name of education.  
  
She ran a finger from his shoulder to halfway down his chest coming closer. 'Anytime would be fine James.'  
  
'Great how about now?' he said smirking from within.  
  
'Sure where and when do we start?'  
  
'Sure where and when do we start?'  
  
James answered her and then after getting their books he led the way to a quiet place on the grounds.  
  
It was just past Halloween when Remus stormed up angrily into the dorm room and James as well as Sirius wasn't sure what set him off. It seemed to them, or to Sirius that he had a bee in his bonnet. James had no idea where his friend had gotten such wording from but he had to struggle not to laugh. Remus was in a bind and they didn't need to be laughing their heads off they needed to find out what was wrong. They were of course on in the dorm because for the moment it was the only safe place for either of them to read up more on becoming animagus.  
  
'What's got your knickers in a twist?' Sirius asked and James shot him a glance that said give it up. Sirius was in an odd phase. Everything he said has to relate to some sort of metaphor or saying.  
  
'Jessie. I tell you she is getting on my nerves.'  
  
Jessie? Jessica Ann Adams the most fantabulous girl in the world—according the Remus a month ago—is getting on his nerves. James thought incredulously but the more though about it more he wondered what it could be about. The only thing that James could come up with was that it had to do with Remus's time of the month.  
  
It seemed Sirius figured out that it was the full moon as well.  
  
'Asking about your trips is she?'  
  
'Yes and she wont take a simple "None of your business" either.'  
  
'Well so would I if you used those words and that tone.' James informed his friend, so much for being tactful about the whole thing.  
  
'Why don't you just tell her? I mean if you really care about her, why don't you just get it out all in the open. I would be less painful that way.'  
  
'No way I am not telling her anything of the sort. Remember Mindy? I told her and she ran screaming for the hills. If the two of you hadn't obliviated her mind where would I be? In a cage that's where I'll be.'  
  
James scowled at him. 'You can't compare everyone to her. She was a dim witted idiot of a girl.'  
  
'I'm still not telling her.'  
  
'Why?'  
  
'Just because and anyway its too late. I already broke up with her.'  
  
'What?'  
  
'I told her in no uncertain terms that if she continued to harass me that maybe we shouldn't see each other anymore. She said that if caring about where someone she cares about is going every month is a crime then she was guilty of it. And I said well I guess its over then, then I walked out.'  
  
After this brave statement in front of all this dorm mates Remus when into the loo and slammed the door locking himself in there. After this slight tantrum James had to pound Peter's back because he was chocking on his water when Remus had announced that he called it off with Jessie. Bloody hell, _he_ was shocked. James had never expected Remus to break it off with the girl. He had more expected Jessie to break it off with him if they were going to spilt. Sirius was still shaking his head. Even he had better tact than that. They were going to have to talk to him about trusting people. He was a nice fellow but he would not survive the harsh realities of the world if he didn't trust the people who care about him.  
  
Meanwhile Jessie was still sitting where Remus had left her no less than fifteen minutes ago, in the corner of the library where there were sofas and a fireplace. Angry eyes shone in her eyes and she willed herself not to shed them. Why should she anyway? He had no right to treat her the way he did. She gave him over a year of her life and how did he repay that respect? By not trusting him that's what, she would not make that mistake ever again. Just because she had asked him about where he went every month. Was it her fault she found that her boyfriend disappearing every month was strange? And that he come up with all the excuse known to man. And was it her fault that she was getting tired of hearing them anyway and that she needed honesty in a relationship? Was it her fault again that she expected more from this Marauder than the rest—that at least this one wouldn't be like the others?  
  
Guess she was wrong.  
  
Boy did she want to smash something. Oh she knew what she wanted to smash, Remus's head. Thinking about it she got an evil glint in her eye.  
  
'Uh oh, you look ready to kill someone.' An accented voice said from somewhere in front of her.  
  
Looking to the right she saw who was speaking to her. I was Matt Ashton. That Australian accent of his always got to her. It was so exotic and it somehow suited him. Jessie wondered what he was doing here. She saw him earlier with his girlfriend.  
  
'Yeah I might be. Well I'm in the mood anyway.'  
  
Matt raised his eyebrow. Well he knew what she was talking about. In fact if the few people who were in the library about twenty minutes ago were standing where he was they would know what she was talking about as well. Every had heard the argument between Jessie and Remus, Kit hadn't heard though. She had left just before the argument picked up volume. He just stopped by to see if she was alright because Remus really let her have it. It really wasn't her fault anyway. But he was surprised she was wasn't crying. Well he was twenty minutes after the event so he really didn't know. Matt was also not going to bring up anything; he will let her talk if she wanted too. She surprised him by her next statement.  
  
'I guess you heard all that huh?'  
  
'Uh, yeah I'm afraid so.'  
  
'Don't be, we would have broken up sooner or later but I just need to um ask you a question. If you don't want to get involved it fine.'  
  
'No it's okay, of course it does depend what the question is.'  
  
'Um okay well do you think it was wrong of me wanting to total honest truth from someone? I mean I need a blokes prospective. Do you think I was too needy in wanting total honesty in a relationship?'  
  
Matt though carefully before answering. 'What I think is that there never really is total honesty in a relationship. There is always some little bit you don't know about the other person but I understand what you mean. I guess it wasn't wrong of you because in this case he was keeping a big part of himself away from you, so no I don't think you were needy.'  
  
She smiled wanly. 'Thanks I needed some reprieve.' But then she grinned. 'I really like your accent you know.'  
  
Jessie really didn't know what made her suddenly tell him that. Maybe it was because he listened to her and agreed with her a certain degree. She certainly hadn't expected a person from a male species to agree with her especially someone from her ex's own house. Didn't the have a loyalty thing to uphold?  
  
'Thanks.' Replied Matt. The compliment wasn't strange. A lot of people compliment him on it. It was one of the reasons that he didn't want it to change. Going to school full of Brits at a young age would have influenced change but he tried his best to keep it.  
  
'Um, have you ever thought of being a err fireman after school?'  
  
'A fire man? Why would I want to catch myself on fire for a living?'  
  
'Oh never mind its okay.' Jessie said waving away what she just blurted out. She could have slapped herself for asking such a thing. Thank the gods that he didn't know what the heck she was asking. Firemen what was she thinking. At least he wasn't taking muggle studies otherwise he might know what she was going on about  
  
Hell, she didn't know what she was going on about. Getting up from her place on the couch nearest to the fire she shot him a thankful smile. He did make her feel better and at least he hadn't come when she was crying. That would have been too horrible and embarrassing for a boy, any boy to see a girl in that state. They would think she was a blubbering fool. Well would think she was a blubbering fool at least.  
  
'Matthew? Thanks for listening.'  
  
'Anytime, Jessica.'  
  
They smiled before Jessie left the library to go to her dorm. Her friend would be another pillar of support for her. She hated to think what Lily might say. Everyone really thought that Remus was the best Marauder. Now lily would hate them all. She would hate him because Jessie hated him.  
  
One thing was for sure she was going to speak to Remus ever again. She wouldn't even consider doing so if he was the last man on the planet. When Jessie got upstairs she noticed her muggle fireman's calendar. It was fairly huge with glossy pictures. She had gotten it one day while she was out shopping for muggle things with Lily and Sasha. Taking out her wand she flipped the picture over. She new she would blush every time she saw it.  
  
It wasn't too long before she knew she had to tell the girls everything. They would probably here from someone who had over heard them arguing. They arrived in the dorms a few minutes form each other and found Jessie sitting on her four-poster with her wand out. In front of her was big picture of Remus and she was defacing it. She was using spells that altered the pictures appearance and actions. He was either attempting to kick himself and rub his nose at the same time or he was throwing darts at a picture of himself.  
  
They could see she was really angry. Sasha and Anna had heard about the argument. The others had not. That was why they were puzzled beyond understanding of what Jessie was doing. To say Lily hit the roof was an understatement. She started talking about how she thought Remus was the only decent one, never again would she think that. But after a while she calmed down because she realised that her friend might be hurting and it wasn't making any sense to trash the boy in front her but when they tried to ask if she was okay she start declaring things a on her own.  
  
One she wasn't ever going to talk to him in her life ever again but realistically said that it may last for the rest of the school year or at least till she finds herself another boyfriend, she wasn't going to limit herself hoping he would change is mind one day and open up to her. The second thing was that she was never going to ask another boy out again, okay maybe she might but she'll cross that stupid bridge when she came to it. Third she wasn't going to sulk over any man. He could go and jump in the freezing lake for all she cared because she doesn't care if he ended up along for the rest of his bloody life.  
  
Finally though after she said all these things a couple of tears fell from her eyes. She was going to cry but it still hurt. It hurt that he couldn't have trusted her enough to let her in.  
  
Though it was slightly difficult for Jessie to get over Remus things went along smoothly. Anna was going out with Chris Parker; he was blue eyed and dark haired as well as gorgeous. Each of them would take turned telling one person or the other, mostly Sasha though would was only too glad to listen.  
  
She was a hopeless romantic even if she didn't have a boyfriend as of yet. Of course she wanted one but so far she didn't have any suitors. But there was this one person, who made her blood boil with anger. She really disliked him. On top of that she had once fancied the thought that she somewhat half in love with him.  
  
_Bloody idiot.  
_  
The seasons changed and Quidditch was played. Gryffindore won the last match against Slytherin and the team celebrated. James had already called it quits with Leah and had celebrated with his friends instead. Sirius's girlfriend Mia Sabrina wasn't allowed in the Gryffindore common so he made out with her a little just outside before going in.  
  
When the finals rolled around it was Gryffindore against Ravenclaw for the first time in five years. The entire Ravenclaw forth year girls were cheering on Hannah as their team played their best. It was only a week before final exams and every one was glad form the break of studying.  
  
But through out the entire match it seemed that Ravenclaw was going to win. They had a strong chaser team this year and the score was thirty—one hundred and eighty, in their favour. However at the last minute Lacey Pasquelini made a goal and two seconds after James Potter caught the snitch.  
  
Gryffindore had won the Quiddtich cup and were elated because that made them also eligible for top spot in the House cup.  
  
True to her word Jessie hadn't spoken to Remus since that faithful day. There was this one time he had sort of attempted an apology but it fell flat when Jessie told her cousin who was standing next to her to let her ex know that she didn't care.  
  
Soon exams were over and the leaving feast had arrived. Lily loathed the sight of Potter as always because just yesterday he had made her shirt say instead of "Girls Rule" say "I'm a Prissy Pants". Jessie for once had realised that she finally did get over Remus. Sasha was bored. Anna was sitting next to her beau Chris while Stefi let her eyes wander over to the Gryffindore table where the fifth year of her dreams sat. Hannah however was still stewing over the loss of the Quidditch and the grimness had returned at full force when Dumbledore awarded the house cup to them as well.  
  
_The end of other year_, thought Lily as she clambered on the train with her friends that took them home.


	7. Evil Brewing

_Hey guys and yeah i don't mind you say its cute...:D_

_Another chapter is here, i know its fast but i'm going full speed ahead_

_Luv Yas :D_

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**Chapter 7—Evil Brewing**  
  
When James Potter got up that morning he didn't expect to be pounced on by anyone but that's what happened. Three fellows pounced on James in his bed the day before they took to train to Hogwarts. James groaned as they continuously started talking and punching him lightly everywhere. But at the moment his back was almost breaking with the weight. He had to have a serious talk with his grandparents about letting these Neanderthals that he called friends into his room. They should have keep these three barricaded in the family room. When he was finally allowed to get up he hurriedly took only six minutes in the bathroom. Afterwards he saw his friends all i8n his room picking up and putting down stuff. Especially Sirius and Peter.  
  
'Guys why are you here so early? You weren't supposed to come for another two hours.'  
  
Sirius grinned. 'Yeah well Remus's house was boring—no offence bud.'  
  
'None taken mate.' Remus laughed. 'I know my parents aren't the most fun people in the world.'  
  
Sirius had been spending his last days of summer with the Lupins' much to the chagrin of his mother. His father still hasn't been found that ministry saw no evidence that he is dead so they labelled the case unsolved.  
  
'No your parents are cool but its you that was boring.' Sirius replied tongue in cheek.  
  
James rolled his eyes. 'I'm hungry. I'll be in the kitchen if anyone wants to follow.'  
  
They all walked down the steps when they came upon James's Grandparents talking about something horrific that happened last night. They stopped when the boys entered.  
  
'You know ma you guys don't have to be quiet when we walk in. we're fifteen years old. I think we'll be able to handle something bad.' James said as he walked in and kissed his grandmother on her cheek before sitting down at the table.  
  
'I know dear but we just like to let you boys hear only good things in this house.'  
  
'That's nice of you Mrs. P but its not necessary. I hear bad things all the time at home. It's normal so you really don't need to hide things honest.'  
  
Norma Potter who was slightly rounded and the shortest person in the room smiled at Sirius. 'You poor dear but if you four must know there has been an attack on a family in Somerset.' She said and took out the Dailey prophet. 'It was a muggle family too. Only one survivor. The daughter I think. You four may know her she goes to your school.'  
  
Remus who had picked up the wizards paper read and looked surprised. 'Hey it was Arlene's family that was attacked.' He exclaimed shocked that it was some one they knew personally. She was in their year and house at Hogwarts.  
  
'Oh Merlin!' Exclaimed Peter Pettigrew. He had a bit of a crush on Arlene and really felt bad for her.  
  
'Listen to what it says, "Just on the outskirts of the town of Somerset the day before yesterday the Gil family was attacked by some "hooded figures" neighbours say. Though when they were questioned by aurors they were frightened out of their wits. The Gil family were muggles and their only daughter Arlene was a muggleborn witch. The neighbours had to have their memories adjusted and poor Arlene Gil—who was the only survivor—was taken to St. Mungo's to be treated. Arlene attends the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where she will be going on the fifth year this term."  
  
'The poor dear.' Norma said.  
  
'Yes, the rest of the article says that today would be the funeral.' Nicolas replied taking his seat at the head of the table.  
  
James looked at his grandparents and knew that they weren't telling him something. His grandfather was retired but he had been a great Auror in his time. He probably has more of an insight to what happened than the paper does.  
  
'GP?'  
  
His grandfather looked up. 'Yes James?'  
  
'Um I know there is something you're still not saying.'  
  
He gave James smile. He really wished that this were his grandson. Truly his. He loved this boy like he was but somehow felt that his brother should not have left this privilege to anyone else. James was his and that's all that mattered anyway. He was bright and Nicolas could see he had a sharp mind. Just like now when he knew that there was more to this attack than what the papers mentioned.  
  
He looked to his wife. He was so proud to have these to people as his family. If only he had seen this woman first before his brother had married her. He squashed down that thought. The world was filled with "if onlys" and "what ifs" but he loved his family just and the same and his extended one as well. He thought as he looked at his grandson's friends. They were like attachments that came with him.  
  
Again his eyes went to his wife who nodded. They really didn't want to boys to know but maybe it was better that they did because what happened hit so close to home. His friend from the ministry had visited briefly that morning to get Nicolas's input so he knew what the prophet didn't say.  
  
'Yes James there is something else. It is more horrid than what the papers have said. You should know that this has been happening quiet frequently. Well not as frequently as you might think but since a number of people dying every time something like this has occurred I personally think that it is too frequently.'  
  
'What is it Grandfather?' James said at the same time Sirius, Remus and Peter said 'what Mr. P.'  
  
'You boys are mischievous but I know you have good heads on your shoulders but I want you four to keep this quiet for now. It will all come out soon enough but I want the papers or the Ministry to tell it.'  
  
They nodded. Not one of them would ever break a promise to James's grandparents. Breaking a promise to them was like creating sacrilege.  
  
'Over the past year or so there has been numerous attacks of this nature. You or the rest of the wizarding world hasn't heard about them because the Ministry has managed to keep things quiet for this long. All of the families that have been attacked are muggle or there are muggleborns in the family like what happened to your friend'  
  
'Do they have any idea who is doing these thing grand father?' James asked while Peter squeaked slightly.  
  
'I'm afraid that the person who they suspect has been missing from the country for many years. They have no proof of this however but your headmaster Professor Dumbledore is sure he knows who it is.'  
  
'Are you going to the funeral?'  
  
'Yes I am, we both are.' His grandmother answered instead.  
  
'Can we go?' asked Remus.  
  
'Sure no problem my dears. Your friend Matthew is coming within the hour right? We'll wait for him before we set off.'  
  
With all that settled they all ate their breakfast and in voluntarily thought about the evil that was brewing in the world, magical and non magical.

* * *

Lily Evans was sitting on a stool in the island in the middle of her kitchen eating breakfast and watching the news when she saw a headline that practically made her choke on her sausage. She listened while she drank her juice mesmerized by what she was seeing.  
  
The news report was about a family in Somerset. They died under mysterious circumstances but that wasn't what caught her attention it was who were involved.  
  
"Two days ago a family in the town of Somerset died under mysterious circumstances, sources revealed. Neighbours found the Gil family after they called 999 early Wednesday morning and telling the police they saw a weird flash of green light that was followed by screams. When questioned by police however they were blank as to what had occurred. The only survivor was the daughter of the family who would be attending another year of boarding school this fall."  
  
'Arlene!' Lily exclaimed.  
  
'What dear?' her mother asked.  
  
'Mum one of my friends from school, her parents and her brother died. Oh my gosh I can't believe it.' She said with a hand to her mouth.  
  
'Oh I'm sorry, the poor girl.'  
  
'Mother would it bee all right if I run over to Jessie's and tell her?'  
  
'Yes that would be fine and be careful.' Lindsey Evans called out to her daughter as she raced to get her bike.  
  
Sometimes she worried about her. Especially the relationship between her and her sister. Petunia never made and effort and when Lily saw that she ignored her. She didn't know what she could do to make things right with their family again.  
  
Meanwhile Lily pedalled her bike towards the wooded area where Jessie lived. It would take her ten minutes if she pedalled really fast. She knew Sasha would be over too so she could tell both of them they probably knew already. When she got there she knocked on the bunny head that made the knock ring through the house. First time she saw the thing she laughed. It was a bit silly. Cool but silly.  
  
'Guys did you here about Arlene?' she asked as soon as Jessie's mother said go on up. They two girls weren't out of bed yet as it was only seven in the morning.  
  
'No what about Arlene?'  
  
'I'll tell you as soon as the two of you gets up and gets dressed.' Lily said as she went back downstairs. She opted to tell her friend's mother about it. Anita Adams surprised her though by saying that the reason for the death wasn't as mysterious as the muggles thought.  
  
'I'm sorry to say Lily dear that it was in the Daily Prophet. Arlene's family died by magic. They were killed by a deadly spell was my guess.'  
  
'What?' Two voices said from the doorway.  
  
'Girls Arlene's family was killed by evil wizards.' Lily said sadly.  
  
Two girls were as shocked as she was when she heard the news. It was Lily though who came up with the idea of going to the funeral.  
  
'Mrs. Adams would it be all right if we go to the funeral? I know its far but is there any way we can get there fast so we can be there? I'm sure my mum wouldn't mind.'  
  
'Yes I can organize a portkey for us. I'm not going to work today so I can chaperon you three.'  
  
'Thanks mum.'  
  
'No problem Hon but Lily why don't you go home and let your mother know what we're doing and bring your clothes to change here. We can decide on something for these two from your set.'  
  
Jessie and Sasha looked at her confused.  
  
'Girls this is a muggle funeral. We'll just bring attention to ourselves if we dress differently.'  
  
'Right.'  
  
After Lily went home she quickly explained to her mother what they wanted to do and with her blessing she went upstairs and gathered her things. She took out the only black dress she had with a simple black coat and black semi heeled pumps. Instead of taking her bike she walked to her friend's house again but this time it took half an hour.  
  
It was three hours later that all of them were ready to attend the funeral. Mrs. Adams had called in a favour and arranged for a Portkey for them. After taking that particular mode of transportation they ended up in a deserted area, which was five minutes from the nearest car rental agency. Since the trip had caused a few misplaced hairs too occur they had to stop and fix it. Lily explained earlier how to go about renting a car to Mrs. Adams who had already had a muggle driver's licence  
  
They arrived at the house and followed the congregation to the church where the funeral was taking place. They took seat just behind Arlene's friend from Gryffindore. Lacey, Megan, Heather and Dani were all there and Jessie nudged them to show that they were right behind them.

* * *

James, his grandparents and his friends arrived at the church a few minutes before the service began and listened intently to what the priest was saying and let their gazes shift back and forth through the people attending the service. They noticed that Professor Dumbledore was there and closer to the front were the rest of the Gryffindore girls who were in Arlene's dorm.  
  
When the pallbearers moved the three coffins to the cemetery the congregation followed and watched as they adjusted it to be lowered. Then one by one people came and paid their respects by putting a white rose on each coffin.  
  
It was then James and the other followed after more than half of the people left. They moved towards Arlene to give their sympathies when they noticed three other girls at eh front of the line taking their turns and hugging Arlene. It was the Ravenclaw girls, three of them and he felt Remus stiffen next to him. One of them was Jessie; he saw the flaming red hair and knew the other girl was Evans. Jessie's cousin was the last to hug Arlene before turning to leave. They ended up passing the boy on their way out.  
  
James saw Evans caught sight of him and she scowled in his direction before turning her face and walking away with an older woman and her two friends. _What? Does she expect me to pull something here? At a funeral?_

He had also hoped none of his grandparents happened to see that scowl and again he was wrong. It was when they were returning home form the funeral that his grandmother put the question to him.  
  
'James? Was the pretty young girl scowling at you? What did you do to upset her?' his grandmother asked him.  
  
'Nothing.' James protested.  
  
'James fancies her.' Sirius piped up.  
  
'I do not. Sirius shut your bloody trap. She hates me for no reason. I have no idea where this idiot got his idea from.'  
  
'And I supposed the tricks you pulled on her were nothing for her to hate you about were they?' Remus whispered to him but his Grandfather was to sharp and heard it.  
  
'I heard that. What house is she in?' Nicolas asked curious to find a girl that doesn't like his grandson.  
  
James didn't answer right away but after a couple seconds passed muttered.  
  
'Ravenclaw.'  
  
'Sorry?'  
  
'He said Ravenclaw Mr. P.' Sirius said quickly clearing that up.  
  
'Ah! Then she must be a bright girl and she seems nice enough too, why going to pay her respects to her friend even though they weren't in the same house is an admirable quality.'  
  
'She's not nice. In fact all of the Ravenclaw girls hate us.' James said and Matt who was quiet all this time snickered. He was not going to add his bit in this. He for one got along with all of them, mind you they were the best of friends with him but they were cool.  
  
'Not all of them last year. This git was dating one and he dumped her without giving a reason. That raised the hating up a notch.' Sirius sticking his thumb in Remus's direction who glanced warningly at him  
  
James's grandfather just raised his eyebrow but said nothing. Matt just thought it was his loss anyway. He didn't know the secret but he wasn't too sure if he even wanted to know. Just hanging around them was enough for now.

* * *

Lily sure hadn't expected to see the marauders at the funeral but it was after she passed them that she realised that she shouldn't have disrespected Arlene by scowling at somebody at her family's funeral. But when she scowled at James she met the kind gaze of the older woman that was with the group.  
  
That must have been his grandmother and father. She flushed all the way to the car. What must they think of her?  
  
After five minutes she decided not to question it anyway, it wouldn't matter because James would already paint a different colour for them.  
  
Jessie had seen Remus and ignored him. She had gotten over him during the course of the year and the summer but she was still mad.  
  
At the King's Cross Station Lily saw the woman come to the train to see the boys off. How could a nice woman like that have a rotten grandson such as he? Straightening her badge—she had become prefect and was proud of it—she made her way to Anna, Hannah and Stefi. Jessie and Sash hadn't reached yet.  
  
'Do you know who the boy prefect is?' Anna asked.  
  
'Yeah, I saw him just now. It's Astro Damian.'  
  
'Well well what do we have here?' A voice said from behind them and Lily didn't have to turn to see who it was. She knew that voice anywhere and she turned to glare at them.  
  
'Why Evan's you a prefect? Why I am shocked!'  
  
'Oh stick it Potter. Like I care where you're shocked or not.'  
  
'Be still my heart.' James said with fake exaggeration and put a hand to his heart. 'Why you've spoken to me! To what do I owe to honour?'  
  
Oh Lily really wanted to physically hurt this boy but she had responsibilities.  
  
'You better watch yourself Potter I won't be easy on you. The only thing you have to do is cross the line and I'm hauling your arse to detention.'  
  
'Oh whoa is me.'  
  
Lily growled in frustration. 'And I suppose you will cut them every slack in the book?' she asked pinning Remus with her attention. She had just noticed the badge on his robes.  
  
'Um no.'  
  
They looked at him, all of them. Well Lily wasn't sure if she was going to believe him or not. Knowing those bloody idiots they would convince Remus to do just that.  
  
Lily gave an unladylike snort before saying, 'yeah sure I believe that. See you around oh mighty Marauders.'  
  
James watched her go and contempt filled him. Why did Dumbledore feel the need to appoint that thing as a prefect? She was now going to purposefully interrupt every pleasant thought he wanted to put through. It was going to be a long siege.  
  
Lily walked away with her head held high but knowing those five boys, this was going to be a very, very long year.


	8. The Challenge!

_Hey there this is a longer chapter than the last one, but i hope you like it!_

_Luv ya_

* * *

**Chapter 8—The Challenge.**  
  
'Lily you look a bit peaky. Are you all right?' Jessie asked while standing next Anna. They were both watching Lily rise from bed. She was the last one to get up because Hannah, Sasha and Stefi were already in the showers.  
  
'I'm fine.' But the words came out barely unrecognisable. Her nose was stuffy.  
  
'No you're not. You've come down with the same thing Sash had at the beginning of the year.'  
  
'No I haven't.' Lily said because Sasha had a terrible virus for a week. She had looked awful and had barely been able to get to class. She finally ended up in the Hospital wing where Madam Lucy had been able to treat her. According to her Sash had caught it from an animal that carried it. Professor Kettleburn had tried to tend to them and gotten rid of the magical creatures that carried it by taking them to an Animal healer.  
  
'And why is that?'  
  
'Because there haven't been anyone that has been sick for the past three weeks.'  
  
It was no use convincing her that she was sick, although she new she had something just that it wasn't serious.  
  
'Evans are you sick?' A patronizing voice said from behind them as they were walking to their other class. Lily didn't bother to turn around. Doing so would only provoke to bloody idiot more.  
  
'Oh my you sound as though care.' Lily replied sarcastically.  
  
Then Sirius decided to throw in his say as well and she spun around but that made her slightly dizzy.  
  
'You even look worse than when Sashy washy was sick.' He said pointing to Sash who was had turned red from both embarrassment and anger.  
  
'Black shut your bloody trap and speak when spoken too. Potter I don't have time for this.' Lily said and turned around this time she took her time. Then followed Sasha and Anna into Arithmacy.  
  
She took a seat next to them before she heard two dimwits laughing and snickering. How could she have forgotten that they were taking Arithmacy as well? She didn't bother to tell them off because her throat was constricted and it was parched. Oh boy was she feeling weak. But there was no way she was going to show it. Especially since Potter and the gang was behind her. Beside her she felt Sash's anger crackle and simmer before the teacher arrived.  
  
Professor Vector taught and the more she taught the more Lily felt like she was seasick. Though she has never been seasick in her life.  
  
When the Professor went to on side of the class room Lily felt the dip and when Vector moved to the other side the classroom did the same. Before she new it she threw up all over Sasha and Anna. Both girls screamed, and stood up knocking over their chairs.  
  
'Ms. Evans are you alright?' Professor Vector asked concerned and she looked at the two other girls. 'You two escort her to the hospital wing and get cleaned up as well.'  
  
They didn't get far to the door before they heard the two Marauders erupt into small fits. They didn't laughed to hard but Lily heard them and swore she would get even. She should have thrown up on them instead. The pigs.  
  
Anna and Sasha helped Lily all the way up to the hospital wing. 'Why can't the bloody room be somewhere near when you need it?' She groaned.  
  
It was when Sasha and Anna returned from the dormitories to see how Lily was doing before they got back to class that they were surprised. Lily was sitting looking much better than before they left her, which was about ten minutes ago and she looked mad, really mad.  
  
'Madam Lucy said that this wasn't a real virus.' She said through gritted teeth. 'She said it was something temporary that you could find in a joke shop.' She continued. 'Who do you think would purposely put a green pill in my food at dinner?' she asked with remarkable coolness and deadly quiet voice.  
  
Anna and Sasha knew but they said nothing. Last weekend was the trip to Hogsmede. And Hogsmede meant Joke Shop. Oh boy she was really mad. They knew that the extreme coldness in her voice was masking her true feelings. She was ready to blow her top and they were afraid that she would start ranting and raving right there in the hospital. There were patients there.  
  
'The Marauders that's who.' She said continuing and without taking a breath. They were sure they could hear her teeth grinding together. 'They embarrassed me in front of everyone. My teacher and my friends.' She went on and clamped and unclamped her fingers.  
  
'Lily are you alright?' Sasha asked a bit nervously.  
  
'Yes I'm fine. Madam Lucy told me to stay here for the rest of the class. That way you can pick me up for lunch.' She said her voice light.  
  
'Okay Lily, we'll see you in half an hour.'  
  
When Sasha and Anna returned to the classroom they made no mention of Lily to the teacher or the Marauders who were still talking and not paying much attention to anyone. Half an hour later they met up with Jessie and Stefi explaining all what happened before they reached the Hospital.  
  
They even warned them that Lily might be just a tad bit angry. Just a little they said nervously but Jessie knowing her friend's temper was sure they were scared by it she would be too.  
  
'Uh Lily?' Jessie asked when she entered. She was elected or rather she was pushed in first to test out the waters.  
  
'Yes, hi Jess. Where are the others?'  
  
'Oh we're here.' Sash assured her as the four of them stuck their head through the curtain their bodies three quarters of the way outside.  
  
'Good, lets go to lunch. I'm starving. Madam Lucy said I had to wait for you before I could go. Honestly I can take care of myself.' She said calmly as thought nothing had happened.  
  
She acted as though she wasn't boiling angry just over a half an hour ago. Her friends stared at her blankly for a few seconds before looking at each other nervously.  
  
'Lily are you all right? I mean after what the Marauders did I thought you would still be pretty pissed.'  
  
'Oh Jess, don't worry about it. Potter just needs to learn that Payback's a bítch and I am just the girl to show him.'  
  
'You're going to pay him back? You're thinking revenge?'  
  
'You bet, now if you all are ready how about some lunch. I'm in the mood for some red meat.' With that Lily led the way out and her friend followed her half wondering what could be going on in that head of hers.  
  
She never claimed to want to get back at Potter and his gang before. In fact she ignored every attempt they made to embarrass her over the last few years. Apparently this last thing had gone one too far and had pushed her straight over the edge.  
  
They walked into the great hall with her. She passed the Gryffindore table straight without giving them the slightest look. She sat down and fixed her plate with meat. Watching the way she was going through her food they figured that James Potter's days were numbered and that he and Sirius Black better be careful because Lily was going to rip them to shreds.

* * *

'You should not have done that guys.' Matt told them at lunch.  
  
James and Sirius had spiked Evan's food yesterday with something from the joke shop. They were going to do their own form of duplication. It was an overnight thing. They gave it to her at dinner and it took the night to work. They had purposefully picked out symptoms that sort of seemed like the one, one of her friends had gotten first day back.  
  
'Matthew take a chill pill my lad. It was only in fun. Besides you know we like provoking her and seeing her do nothing. This year its worse because she is a prefect.'  
  
'Yes and you are supposed to respect them.' Remus said adding in his input since he was one as well.  
  
'We do respect prefects. Like we respected Moony here by not telling him we were pulling something on a fellow prefect.'  
  
Matthew snorted into his food.  
  
'Yes it is so obvious you respect prefects like Lily and Snape.' He said sarcastically when he finished wiping his face.  
  
'We do respect old Snivellus ... respect him enough to teach him proper manners. It's annoying that he is always following us is all.' Sirius said haughtily.  
  
'But back to Lily. You need to stop provoking her.' Remus said earnestly while Matthew nodded in agreement.  
  
'Yes we've been around her. We know her. You don't. She is a really nice person but she has a mad temper when she is ready. You guys better be careful, that's all I'm saying.' Matt put in wearily.  
  
'Come on when is Evans nice? Everyone keeps saying that. I don't see it.'  
  
'You wouldn't.' Remus said.  
  
'And what is that supposed to mean?'  
  
'Nothing it means nothing.' Remus said backing up but it was just as he was saying that that the girl in question walked into the great hall followed by her friends. She didn't look at them and neither did her friends—including Jessie Remus noted.  
  
That was weird though because ever since they have been pulling pranks on her she always stalked past their table and glared and them fully and then walked to her table. There was an occasion where she quarrelled roundly for a minute then left. But the quiet was scary. It made Remus think about what was going on in her head and it wasn't pleasant. He didn't know whether he should mention that Lily looked slightly homicidal. Then again he had the idea that those two would not know what in the world the word meant.  
  
It would take to long to explain anyway.  
  
It was the end of the day and Remus walked with Sirius towards the great hall for dinner. Seeing a few girls in front of them Sirius quickly walked up to them but it was only when they neared them that they realised it was a few girls from their own houses as well as two of the Ravenclaw girls.  
  
Lacey was there with Megan and Jessie's cousin was there with the Borucka girl. They were not pleased to see them especially when James ended up meeting them.  
  
'Where are you girls off to?' Sirius asked grinning.  
  
'Anywhere as long as it's a away from you.' Sash said coldly before walking away with Anna.  
  
She really didn't want to see Sirius black's face at the moment. She would likely give him a black eye. She knew Lacey and Megan would catch up because they wanted to hear what the two bloody fools did to Lily.  
  
The boys watched as their housemates walked away. Megan and Lacey had just looked at them through squinted eyes before watching them catch up with the two other girls.  
  
'Guess the whole school will know pretty soon what you did.' Remus remarked of the two.

* * *

For the past week Lily couldn't sleep, her brain burned with the knowledge of revenge. She could hardly think of anything else. Well only at night, when her mind wasn't as occupied as it was during the day. She wanted to humiliate James but the rules she had for herself wouldn't allow her to do so.  
  
She was a prefect for goodness sakes!  
  
She was not allowed to think about things like that. What kind of example will that set. She was beholden to her duties and not focusing on petty things like revenge.  
  
Yes but the rules never made way for one like James Potter. He was a filthy sodden prat who should be taught a lesson.  
  
Well she for one was not going to have second thoughts. She said it once and she'll say it again payback is a bitch and she for one was going to show him what is really means to cross Lily Evans.  
  
Lily knew that the only way to get through to Potter was to embarrass him. Just like he embarrassed many others before including her. She really had had enough. But what she didn't want to do was involve her friends in this little endeavour. If she got caught she didn't want to pay the price of her misjudgement.  
  
She already knew that if she got caught she would see this as a horrible act on her part and she would regret her lack of control but darn it she needed to do this, for her own peace of mind.  
  
She would deal with the consequences when it arrives right now she had to get to Hogsmede. The next trip is in two weeks so that means she was going to have to get her plans completed by then. She knew she was going to have to ditch the girls in Hogsmede with a valid excuse so she had to come up with one.  
  
It was cold but Lily knew the butterbeer she had just swallowed would soon warm her up. She hadn't really expected November to be anything but cold but she had at least hoped it would ease up a bit. It was a very cold start for the upcoming winter months so far. Fall hadn't even finished. Halloween was last night and after the feast Sasha and Jessie hadn't really wanted to leave the comfort of their beds.  
  
If you thought they were different they were cousins they were alike in the fact that they ate and gained weight. Okay well they ate but head to work at it to keep the pounds off. But this morning they were feeling lazy to start their Saturday jog.  
  
It really didn't matter where they were really complaining not to go Steffi and Lily had dragged them to Hogsmede, which would be their last trip till just before Christmas.  
  
So here Lily was now and she had the best excuse to leave the girls and find what she was looking for. The reason that the excuse will work so well was because it was the truth well ninety-five percent of it was the truth.  
  
'Hey guys, I want to get some Christmas shopping done. I don't want to wait for the weekend before Christmas to buy everything. I'll see you in two hours right here okay?'  
  
'Yeah I better get going to do some myself. This one here isn't my only relative. I have a tonne of cousins on my father's side that are coming over for the Christmas holiday.' Sasha replied sighing just a bit.  
  
'Is David coming?' Jessie asked Sasha.  
  
'Yeah.'  
  
'Whose David?' Lily asked. She hadn't heard this named mentioned before. Well probably she had but had the cause to ask who it was.  
  
'My cousin and I'm telling you even I have to admit he is the best looking boy cousin I have.' She answered before pointing to Jessie. 'See that one? She liked him for a time because he was not her cousin after all but he is just cool now and he is charming, he could give Sirius Black and James Potter a run for their money.' Sasha said maliciously.  
  
'I know I've seen him in action Lily and I swear if I hadn't been in love with Remus at the time I would have melted just like the girl melted in London.'  
  
'Doesn't sound that you stopped liking him.' Lily remarked raising an eyebrow.  
  
'I know is doesn't but I have because well...'  
  
'Well what?'  
  
'I sort of like someone else but I know he doesn't feel the same way about me.'  
  
'Aw love I'm sorry.'  
  
'I know me too. Don't I have the best luck in the world.'  
  
'If you count bad then yeah.'  
  
'So how old is David?'  
  
'He is a year older than me. His sister, Vidya is two years older than him. They live Trinidad but we send for them every once in a while. Fact is he picked up his last girl here. Right in good old London.'  
  
'That's cool.' Steffi replied. 'Maybe you'll set me up with him huh? Luke didn't really work out for me.'  
  
'Sure I'll see if he is willing. Anyway guys...lets go before it gets too late.'  
  
'Yes, bye.'  
  
Five minutes later Lily walked up to Zonko's joke shop. It was a recent establishment of three years. There wasn't any place like it even Lily had to admit that. She may have used one of their products a while ago but she was happy to say it wasn't for tormenting others the way Potter and his gang does it. But as soon as she turned to go in she heard by luck James Potter's voice coming through from it and ducked out of sight.  
  
'I'm telling you Peter it will work. It might just the nudge you need to finally do it.'  
  
'I sure hope so.' The shorter boy replied before they all left.  
  
Lily blew out a relived breath but she was intrigued about what she had over heard. Black and Lupin hadn't commented to whatever it was that they were talking about. Probably it was because they were having their own conversation.  
  
When she was sure they had gone she quickly went up to the isles and perused though them quickly. She found what she was looking for in a small bottle that contained three capsules, not enough for all the Marauders but enough for the two of them she wanted to suffer.  
  
She bought it and quickly left to go to the Witches Boutique that was located three stores down. There she actually for once found presents that she could give all her friends and which suited their personalities. She laughed at the thought of Anna when she saw what she already picked out in a shade of pink.  
  
The girl hated the colour with a passion and would scream if it came anyway near her. Mind you the only person who had a thing for pink was Hannah. Lily herself stuck with cool toned colours that went with her hair and her skin. Jessie as well preferred that type of colour. Sash loved her black and white coloured clothes and claimed the black makes you look thin albeit most of her wardrobe is filled with different shades of blue.  
  
Checking her watch she noted that she had half an hour to spare before meeting the girls at Madam Rosemerta's so she paid for her purchases and left and stopped at Honeyduke's before going back to the pub.  
  
When she arrived Jessie was talking to Matthew and his girlfriend Kit. Well they weren't talking exactly. They were politely commenting on the view which was rather pretty because the first snowfall of the season had taken place last night, though it was already melting since it was lunchtime.  
  
'Hey.'  
  
'Oh hi Lil,' Jessie replied in what sounded like relief.  
  
Kit and Matt replied in different tones. Matt in friendly tone while Kit replied in a bored-snotty-tense-I-want-to-get-out-of-here tone.  
  
'I got here early and decided to say hi to um Matt and Kit.'  
  
'That's nice. I'll join you as well because the others aren't here yet.'  
  
'Yeah that's what I said.' Jessie replied and as the two started to talk they were interrupted by Kit.  
  
'Um excuse me while I go to the little witch's room.'  
  
All of them nodded and she left.  
  
'Um I'm sorry about that Jessie.' Matthew said scratching his sideburns a bit.  
  
'Sorry? About what?' Jessie asked slightly perplexed.  
  
'Well she wasn't Ms-Happy-to-talk-to-you was she?' He pointed out and Lily wondered why this was the case; she couldn't understand why kit was so cool towards her.  
  
'She probably had a bad day.' Jessie replied.  
  
'No her day was fine, she mentioned not to long ago that she was having a fine time.'  
  
'Oh well I guess but that's okay still because she probably doesn't like me.' Jessie said with a wave of her hand. 'A lot of people don't like me but its not as if that bugs me. I don't really care. I can talk to people even if they don't like me.'  
  
'You tell him.' Lily said half grinning and half laughing while she put her arm around her friend.  
  
'See as long as I have people like this mad case over here who do like me who am I to care what others think.' Jessie explained.  
  
'I see your point.' Matthew said nodding and when Lily watched him he had a strange look on his face.  
  
She didn't have time to question it because Kit returned at the same time that Sasha and Steffi did. Hannah came in a few seconds later without her date so Jessie and Lily excused themselves and left to go to another table with their friends.  
  
It was hours later when Lily and the others returned to Hogwarts for dinner, which brought an end to the Hogsmede weekend.  
  
It was Monday morning that Lily put her plan into effect. Potter was talking to his girlfriend Renee and Black was doing the same with his girlfriend Dani, though Lily could hardly understand why dear old Dani would like Sirius Black. In fact all of them were surprised when Renee and Dani started going out with Potter and Black.  
  
Seemed a bit dodgy to her really. But the thing was she had hope they would keep the boys' attention. Quickly she emptied each capsule in their drinks and walked through the same movements as if she was making her rounds and walked back to the Ravenclaw table with none of them the wiser.  
  
When she sat down she had happened to look at the teachers tables and made eye contact with the headmaster. Professor Dumbledore looked at her and smiled secretly making her wonder if he saw her put the stuff in the Marauders' drink. She sure hoped not. He handled the funning of the school really well and she admired him but he did have his kooky ways but Lily felt that made him nicer than some of the other teachers that were about.  
  
But before she looked away she could have sworn he winked at her, however when she looked back he was talking to Professor Binns so she was sure she imagined it.  
  
She turned to watch James and Sirius in the table next to them. They were drinking a never-ending supply of water, pumpkin juice and chocolate milk and couldn't seem to stop.  
  
'Ah it's working.' Lily said under her breath but Sash who was sitting next to her looked at her weirdly.  
  
'Working? What's working?' she asked.  
  
'Oh its nothing of great importance really.' She assured her friend.  
  
As written on the back of the bottle the contents of the capsule dissolve quickly and leaves no after taste but the only after effect was that when swallowed it makes the person really thirsty.  
  
It was in transfiguration that the capsule seemed to have take effect. She had purposely chosen a seat that she could see directly in front of the boys. Normally she would sit as far away from them as possible and that was why the rest of the girls were confused because in the last class they had with the Gryffindores she had done the same thing. But Jessie and Sasha sat with her anyway and Hannah, Anna and Steffi took the table next to them.  
  
'Okay class since I have already explained to you the importance of this year at least a hundred times I would like for each of you to come up with a list of spells you cannot perform to your best advantage. We will work on those this week and next week we'll start something new. I am going to do this for a week once a month in preparation for your OWLS. Is that clear class?' Professor McGonagal said formally as she looked around the class.  
  
'Okay begin and you can work in partners.' She continued after walking towards the front of the classroom and fixing her desk.  
  
As Sash went over to join Anna to partner up Lily looked towards Sirius and James who have obviously decided to partner up. They both looked red in the face but said and did nothing to give away anything of what they were feeling.  
  
Lily had the idea that it was starting to take effect and she was sure that within the next hour and forty-five minutes of transfiguration the whole class would know what the effect was.  
  
Five minutes later...  
  
Lily looked over and noted that not only was their faces red but they were sweating slightly.  
  
Another five minutes passed...  
  
Lily could practically see them towelling off the sweat that covered their faces. Well they'll have a harder time in a few more minutes.

* * *

It was half an hour into the class and James and Sirius couldn't take it anymore. James felt as though he was being put through his paces. His stomach was churning and it felt as though something was bouncing inside it then seized. He had been suffering since the class started.  
  
He didn't know why but he needed to go the bathroom now!  
  
Sirius had acted funny as well. They were trying to come up with spells they can't do well but all they could do was sweat and hold it.  
  
He raised his hand.  
  
'Professor.'  
  
'Yes Mr. Potter?' McGonagal replied.  
  
'Can I go to the toilets?'  
  
'Its it an emergency?'  
  
'Yes I'm afraid it is Professor.' He wheezed out and as she nodded her consent he turned and he got a glimpse of the look Lily Evans shot him. It was a triumphant look but it was hardly anything to think about when he was in a hurry.  
  
But, 'where are you going Mr. Black.' Erupted from behind him. It had seemed that Sirius needed to do a bit of relieving himself.  
  
'Professor I _really_ need to go as well.' His best friend whined.  
  
'I am afraid I can't let any of you go now. This is clearly an attempt to get out of class.'  
  
'But professor.'  
  
'No but I would like to see you both right now.' She said sternly and looked at both of them before indicating the front of her desk.  
  
Lily watched as the two boys made their way to the front. They were walking a bit funny but that was what could be expected really. She figured they were ready to explode at any minute.  
  
'Now boys were you trying to get out of class?' Professor McGonagal demanded.  
  
'No, honestly Professor we really need to go to the bathroom.' Sirius put in though Professor McGonagal looked less than pleased with them.  
  
'Hold on you two. Can I get ten volunteers to go to Professor Labelle's classroom and bring back the pumpkins we had transformed into glass jars.' She said and looked around the class. No one volunteered. 'Fine then I'll volunteer for you.'  
  
Lily was glad the Professor hadn't picked her to go because she wanted to see her handiwork play out but a couple of the girls and the rest of the boys she chose. It was after they left and the Professor cleared a space for the things that she rounded on Potter and Black again.  
  
But even before she started her tirade a sound was made and was followed simultaneously by another. Then a couple more in succession. Lily didn't want o be the one to laugh but she couldn't help it. When the first snicker came out she stuffed her hand in her mouth. Oh boy this was going to be an incident to remember.  
  
James couldn't believe it. He had actually tried to hold that but that hadn't worked. Sirius cut the cheese, and then he did. One after the other they let it all go. It was after they had a symphony he felt better. He didn't need to go to the bathroom anymore. Glancing around there were a good few girls remaining in the room and it was needless to say that they were shocked.  
  
Heck he was shock as well. He was also bloody embarrassed and could feel the heat rising to his face.  
  
'See professor you could have avoided all of this and let us go to the bathroom.' Sirius said and James looked from his friend to the face of his teach was and grinned. The look on her face was priceless.  
  
Hey they farted in front of half the class. It was pretty funny. The only question was though was why they had to? They ate the same thing that Remus, Matt and Peter ate and nothing happened to them.  
  
'Uh yes, you two are excused you may go now quickly and return back just as fast.' McGonagal said with out looking at them.  
  
Since they didn't really have to go anywhere but did feel like ditching class for a few minutes they left because they were told to and they couldn't get in trouble.  
  
James noted that Evans was glaring at him and had a shocked face to boot. He now didn't have to wonder why he and Sirius were the only ones to perform a gas concert. It was because of Ms. Goody-too-shoes. Who would have thought that her, Ms. Angel-kiss butt- teacher's pet- would have it in her to defy the rules?  
  
He knew that by the look on her face that she was the one to make this day all possible and the thing was it ended up falling flat. He passed her and winked arrogantly. He could practically sense her screaming at him in her head. Well it wasn't his fault was it that he was getting to ditch a few minutes of class. He could see that she wanted to turn him in but she couldn't do it without being punished herself so she wouldn't.

* * *

Lily could not believe what had just happened. Nothing had gone right. Half of the class had disappeared and on top of everything else Potter and Black didn't seem the least bit embarrassed by what had taken place.  
  
They made a joke out of it all and made the class laugh because of their supposed dilemma and since she knew that they didn't need to go to the bathroom anymore, they got out of class scot free. How was she going to tell McGonagal without getting into trouble herself?  
  
Darn it. She was tempted. There was no doubt about that. She was really tempted to blow the whistle on them. She wouldn't mind being punished herself for doing that to them but still she couldn't.  
  
She watched them all but dance their way out of the classroom. When the rest of the students came back they were told of what happened. And it seemed that the Marauders became more popular because of it. For the reason that they got cheers when they returned.  
  
The girls had noted Lily's quietness and were going to ask her about it later. They found what happened funny but hardly laughed because they felt Lily's tension radiated to them in waves. Anna had caught the wink James Potter sent Lily and was nothing more than shocked but she also noted that Lily bristled and clenched her hands.  
  
This of course puzzled her but what could she do. They couldn't really talk about hat right then and there because Professor McGonagal had order them to practice their spells and Lily was doing hers with a passion and ended up nearly blowing up the poor pot while she was at it.  
  
Lily ended up telling her friends all about her plan that fell flat on the ground before slamming against her face making a harsh imprint there. When Anna mentioned the wink Lily nodded.  
  
'It was some sort of ridiculous silent challenge that I for one am not going to accept what and who does he take me for?' Lily said angrily. She really wanted to get up and childishly stamp her feet in frustration. It was bloody unnerving to that malevolent  
  
'You know he might try paying you back.' Jessie put in feeling a little bit sure that they might.  
  
'Could it be possible that he didn't know it was you...?' Hannah said trailing off when she got a "get real" look from Lily. 'Okay I guess not.'  
  
'Who knows he may respect you for it.' Sasha remarked outrageously calm about it before bursting into giggles. 'Okay I suppose you will have to watch your back just in case.' She conceded.  
  
'You know we could have helped you.' Steffi said. 'I wouldn't getting even with them.' Still seething from the time they made her breathe fire.  
  
'No I really didn't want to get the rest of you into trouble if it hadn't worked out.'  
  
The other girls nodded and before going downstairs Lily warned them to check and make sure their food and drink is not unattended. 'You never know what those boys could do.'

* * *

'Wow so it was the great Lily Evans that had us doing the fart-for-all in front of the class?' Sirius asked dumbstruck.  
  
'Yes, Miss Priss surprised me.' James commented as he, Sirius and Peter walked up to the Gryffindore tower to unload their books.  
  
'Sorry but that's my kinda woman?' Sirius whistled.  
  
'No way.' James said hotly.  
  
'Yes way and haven't you seen the way she looks at me? I'm sure she wants me.' Sirius said conceitedly and James snorted.  
  
'Oh yes I hear glaring and muttering curse at you are new ways for female to declare their undying love for you.' James said sarcastically.  
  
'Hey didn't you know love hate relationships work out to have a lot of passion?' Sirius said.  
  
'Then wouldn't it turn out better because she hates James more than the rest of us?' Peter remarked at they came across the fat lady.  
  
'Pudding cake,' was the password and when James said it and climbed into the common room he said, 'Yeah so that means she wants me more.'  
  
'She does not.'  
  
'Yes she does my friend and the thing is she just doesn't know it yet but she will go out with me.' James remarked as they met up with Remus in the dorm.  
  
'Who?' He questioned.  
  
So they told him. 'Now there is a challenge if I ever heard one. And believe me guys I don't think she wants either of you.'  
  
'We'll see Moony.' James said grinning. 'She won't be able to resist my charm.' He finished while Sirius and the others snorted.  
  
'You know this will be a total about face.' Matthew put in as he walked into the dorms himself and had over heard what they were saying. 'If anything if you do ask her out she might spit in your face, call you unsightly names and walk away.' He finished.  
  
James just stared at him so he continued.  
  
'Well I suppose it could be worse. She could slap you, or maybe kick you down there where it really and I mean _really _hurts before walking away.'  
  
'She will not.' James said his confidence just going down a little bit.  
  
'I'm afraid she might. Girls usually refer to physical violence when they are mad.' Matt said as he shoved his books under his bed.'  
  
'She would not. All girls love me.' He argued.  
  
'You forget James that this is one girl who never even showed one tiny little once of likeness towards you.' Remus said as well.  
  
'No way fellows, I'm telling you she will say "Yes".'  
  
'And if she says no?' they all asked in unison.  
  
'Well hey it is not as if I like her or anything I won't be heart broken I'll just keep on asking her.'  
  
'But if she continues to say no?' Sirius still asked.  
  
'Well hey I always like a challenge.' He said smirking.  
  
'Oh boy you're asking for it.' Matt muttered and the rest agreed with him.  
  
_**End of Chapter 8**_


	9. Will you go out with me?

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**_Wow sorry I took so lon, there was goignto be one chapter but seeign as though this is jsut half of it i figured i would make two chapters out of it._**

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**So thanks for reading and i hope enjoy!**

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**Luv ya**

**Sasha**

* * *

**Chapter 9—Will you go out with me?**

Shocked was nothing to describe what Lily felt when James Potter came up to her. She was seriously expecting that he might hex her not what had just come out of his mouth and she knew she was gaping at him. In fact she knew that all of her friends were gapping with her.

'Did you hear what I just said?' James asked a little off balance because four girls were looking at him as if he was going mad.

Also he had expected her to answer right away not stand there staring at him like that. 'I asked you to go out with me.' He repeated.

Lily just looked at him at first. She had heard even when he repeated the question but it seemed that she was in so much shock that she couldn't seem to get out what she wanted to say.

'Uh this is a joke right?' she squeaked out.

'No its not.' James replied getting slightly irritated. Matt and Sirius who were not too far away coughed slightly. Okay so they thought it was funny but seriously it was NOT.

'Okay then the answer is … well no.' She said then looked at him scornfully. 'Potter I would not go out with you if you were that last person on this bloody planet. And just so you know Renee, you is by the way your girlfriend is my friend but just be happy that I am not going to tell her what fat headed pig you really are.' She said haughtily.

But James just grinned. 'We'll see Evans. That's all I'm saying.'

Lily didn't know what to do except turn around and leave. That boy was the most confusing human she had ever met. She had no idea what was going on in his head. What was he thinking asking her to go anywhere with him? It had to have been a trick.

'Lily, that was sure unexpected from what we thought he would do to you.' Steffi said confirming that she wasn't the only one how thought this was madness. Jess was just there with a strange look on her face though while Anna was still mid boggled.

'I think that he would have tried to pay me back when I had accepted. Well ha! I would never even consider the remote possibility of ever going out with him for anything.'

But yards away James was still grinning to Matt and Sirius.

'But James if you don't like her why ask her out?' Sirius asked for what seemed like the hundredth time. _And why does your hand keep flying to your hair when you see her?_ Sirius had also wanted to ask but decided to keep quiet on that one.

'Because Padfoot I know that from the moment she says yes that I have won this little game we have played with each other for the past four years.' He informed them.

'I suppose but James this is playing with fire and I mean literally.' Sirius said thinking of her faming red hair.

'Relax okay. I have this all under control.'

Blowing out harsh breath Sirius and Matt gave up and walked with James outside to herbology. It was two weeks after the farting incident that James asked Lily. He was going to try one more time before they left for Christmas holidays.

The only thing was he could never seem to see her. He would catch a glimpse of her one place then when he turned there she was nowhere to be seen. So he ended up going home for Christmas with out asking her again. No matter he would soon.

Lily on the other hand did even want to leave to chance that she would run into him in the corridor or anywhere else. She as far away from him in class and dodges him every time she saw him. She really didn't need this aggravation but what could she do really. She had no earthly clue as to why he wanted to ask her out.

Her only reason was that he planned to make her pay by embarrassing her somehow. She would turn him down if it were the last thing she ever did.

'Come on Evans you know you want me why deny it?' James Potter called after Lily during the Christmas holidays where she had been in Diagon Alley with Jessie and Sasha. Dragging both of them along as she called out to him.

'Potter I would never go out with you. How many times do I have to tell you that?'

'Forever it seems.' Sasha said once they had gotten out of his earshot.

'He is a bloody menace. You two should not have talked me into coming here with you.' She groaned but each of them took one of her arms and tucked it into the crook of theirs.

'Lily cut the lad some slack. He probably never had a girl tell him no before and is invigorated by the challenge.' Sasha reasoned.

'I highly doubt that.' Lily said then stuck out her tongue to catch a snowflake. 'I mean really, before he hadn't known that I would have said no. I still think its some kind of scheme to get even with me. He knows I did it. I see the challenge in his eyes every time.' She finished.

'Okay, yeah well what I think is don't think about it. Renee will find out sooner or later what a stupid bastard he is and she'll dump him meanwhile ignore him. He really isn't worth you getting worked up over.' Jessie said.

'I know, I know…but blimey he is just so infuriating.' Lily said before she blew out a frustrated breath.

'Did you notice his hand in his hair again?' Jessie asked then giggled.

'I know what is up with that?' Sasha asked.

'Probably stroking his head that is his ego.' Lily said as though she was saying a report and the other two girls burst out laughing.

James thought it was pure luck that had him standing there at the same time Lily Evans and her friends came out of a shop in Diagon Alley. He was there with Sirius who had needed a bit of cheering up. Last night through a winter's rain Sirius had landed on his doorstep.

He was wet from the rain and the little bit of snow that was falling. All his things or rather all of the possession he could carry was with him and James didn't have to ask to figure out what had happened.

Sirius had left home permanently. Whenever Sirius and James had talked about his life at home he had always brought up the idea of leaving it behind. There was nothing for him there. His mother had let him have it a couple of times too and even though Sirius temper caused him to want lash out at her physically as well he knew he couldn't. That was his mother after all.

Well only by blood anyway. She treated Regulas far more like a son than she did him. Not that he minded at times. He far more preferred to be forgotten than remembered. James grandparents, mainly his grandmother hugged the day lights out of Sirius. She gave him dry clothes and hugged him. She gave him food and hugged him.

He asked for seconds please and she hugged him some more. After a while all the hugging and eating was getting a tad bit boring. He nearly fell asleep in his chair while waiting for Sirius to finish tell Norma everything that happened. Afterwards though he was struck with an idea.

He knew his grandmother would have preferred him not to go to Diagon Alley alone therefore he told her Sirius needed some cheering up so he was going to buy the biggest possible size pack of Bearty Botts beans for him. That went over well and just now he couldn't believe his luck with Lily Evans ploughing smack dab into him.

Okay so _almost_ ploughing into him. After all she had stopped before he had the pleasure of helping her off him.

He had barely noticed Sirius roll his eyes. Let his friend think this was a waste of time he really didn't care.

Sirius really and truly wanted to laugh when James hand flew to his head but what could he do really he just held it down while the three girls passed. But when he had looked away one of her friend gave him a slight glare that eh should have returned but didn't when Evans spun both girls around and dragged them off.

He sighed. Alas he couldn't. But he really was enjoying himself though. No matter she wasn't the hottest girl in the year, wearing all those ridiculous clothes; she really had a brain that was something. He thought as he remembered what she had just worn. He really hadn't seen her in anything else other than school clothes and sweatshirts in school.

An over grown sweatshirt and jeans that should have belonged to someone bigger than her five-foot and about six inch frame. It really was no wonder she hadn't had a boyfriend, well at least a public one anyway. He really didn't know what eh was going to do if she ever said yes to his invitation.

'James mate, haven't you stared after them enough? Lets go.' Sirius said as he pulled at him to go to the food place.

'I'm coming Sirius.' James said as he got the last look of them crossing the street.

'Thanks for lending me your mother's clothes Sash.' Lily said as she tugged them off and pulled on her now dry clothes.

'No problem but they were too big on you. It wasn't as though anything of yours could have fit me anyway.' Lily said then laughed. 'Who told you to be so short?'

Sasha scowled at her. 'He ha, very funny.'

'I know.' Lily said and Sasha threw a pillow at her.

They were all spending a couple days at Sash's at Oxford. Her cousin that had come up from Trinidad was there. David was still asleep and Vidya was out with Sarah. The two of them hit it off really and Sasha was angry with that. She had claimed Sarah would corrupt her well-meaning cousin.

In Lily's opinion David really was fetching but she wasn't attracted to him. Too bad too because he had already asked her out. She wanted to go out with him but he was leaving in a couple days. It wouldn't really make much sense. Sash's younger brother was still sleeping too so they won't be bothered by the boys anytime soon.

'Have you seen my big hoop earrings Jess?' Sasha called from her bathroom.

'Sorry Hon I haven't.'

'Damn I wanted to wear them to drop Lily off.' She muttered coming back in. Lily would be going home in a couple of hours. The girls spent the rest of the time talking while waiting for Sash's parents to get home to drop Lily off. Lily was going to cut her long hair but she also wasn't going to tell her friends.

She wanted to see their reactions when they saw her on the train. Her seriously straight red hair was past her butt in length. It was getting to tiresome to keep tying it or plaiting it. It made her look like a geek of sorts, not that their was anything wrong with looking like a geek she reminded herself two days later in the hair salon.

The hairdresser's name was Brittney and she was a bubbly young woman who explained the different things she could do with her hair but the only think Lily wanted was to get rid of her straight hair. She was wavy and she wanted at least half of it cut.

After an hour or two Lily went back home with her head feeling much lighter.

'James do you know sitting here is a waste of time?' Sirius complained at ten on the night of January twenty-second.

'Of course I do Sirius but McGonangal banished us here to work out that assignment. We haven't done so in two days and its due tomorrow I can't be bothered to defy her just before lunch.' James muttered as he flipped through some pages in the large leather bound book that was in front of him. They were in the library late. They had just arrived in the library

Sirius sighed. 'Yes I suppose so but let's hurry before the library starts giving me a headache.'

'Fine.' James replied and they worked for about two minutes when James saw a book on the shelf that he need and reached for it. It was when he was looking over that he saw fluffy pink-slippered feet. When his eyes travelled up he had to admit he liked what he saw.

Long legs. He really didn't know before that he was a leg person but these were some of the best legs he had ever seen. He had to bend further in his chair to see her more and it was a girl. No bloke in the right mind or genes would have smooth, shapely legs like those and he just looked at them.

He bent back slightly and looked further upwards. Nice butt too. He tilted his chair as far back as he could without toppling over and kept on looking. He saw up till her red hair that was in waves along the middle of her back and frowned temporarily.

_Nah couldn't be._ He thought after all he really only knew of a couple red headed girls and he knew none of them could ever be like this girl he was seeing. Finally he looked up. He had to see who was this great bodies girl was. When he finally saw her face after a few seconds, she was still tiptoeing reaching for a book he screamed fairly loudly and fall over backwards.

He landed harshly on his back on head. His ego suffered a severe bruise as well and Sirius started to laugh hysterically.

'Prongs having a nice snooze?' Sirius asked. It was plain he hadn't known James was ogling Lily Evans and had thought that he had fallen because he had fallen asleep.

Oh good bloody hell! Lily Evans? He thought and looked back to where she was standing. No one was there. Since there was a lot of noise emanating from their area the Librarian looked in on them and gave them a warning. The library was closing for fifth years and up in five minutes so they had to leave anyway.

'Sirius that is not funny and I wasn't sleeping.' James argued when Sirius continued laughing even after they left the library with the texts in their hands.

'Oh sure you weren't I suppose falling off your chair is something you perfected?'

James sighed. He wasn't about to tell his friend that he had looked upon legs that had piqued his interest they way nothing else had and he sure wasn't going to mention that the one who did that was Lily Evans, his enemy, the bane of his existence and the person he had been asking out for the past three months.

He couldn't get that image out of his head. He never saw her like a girl, a real girl before and in a "hot" way as well. He shuddered. No way it was probably a lapse in judgement. And it probably was just a figment of his imagination.

There really was no way he would ever think of Evans like that. Not in this millennia or the next. He really should stop asking her out just to antagonize her and prove he was superior to her. She would never even agree to that.

From what he had seen of her these past few years she never backed down yet he knew if he backed down he was in for it from the guys. He shuddered to think what Sirius would have said if he knew he suffered a insane flash momentarily. He really would have been suffering through hours of ribbing from him and well he didn't think he could take that.

Renee still hadn't questioned why he was asking Lily Evans out because she like everyone else thought it was joke. She even told him so. She had said though that it should not get out of hand because Lily Evans was also her friend and that she didn't want things to go haywire.

He was so caught up in explaining everything to himself he hadn't realised that they had reached the Gryffindor tower already and of course Sirius had to tell everyone that James fell flat on his butt because he fell asleep. Of course now James didn't bother to deny these allegations because it was better than admitting the truth. No one will know of his momentary lapse in sanity.

Except him.

Lily could not believe she had just went though half of the school in shorts and bunny slippers. What if someone had seen her? What if an adorably cute, hot boy had seen her? Oh Merlin what if James Potter had seen her. That would have been the worse part of it all.

But no one had seen her. She went to the library got a book, hid herself half way for the librarian not to notice her nightly wear and made a beeline for the Ravenclaw tower. She knew she should have changed but oh no Jessie had just shoved her out the door when she was elected to go outside and get the book.

'There you go!' Lily exclaimed when finished climbing the staircase that led to their rooms and dropped the book on Sash's bed.

It was the girl's birthday and they were going to streak her hair red and purple. They wanted something that would last only a day or so. 'Hey its not everyday a girl turns fifteen.' She had exclaimed but there was no way in Hades that her mother would have let her keep the rocker hair she saw some muggle girls with.

She had opted for temporary ones, just to be wild once and of course they soundproofed the door so no noise would bring the older prefects to the dorm.

'Why are we doing this so late in the night again?' Anna asked as she stifled a yawn.

'Maybe because she hadn't made up her mind until a few minutes ago?' Hannah said. 'Honestly Sash you have to go for the gold ring sometimes.'

The rest of the night was filled with laughter and fun. They ended up dying Hannah's hair pink with only a few strands of blonde peaking through. Anna stuck with bright red while Steffi picked streaks of black, Jessie chose yellow and Lily settled with Blue. By four in the morning all of them were very colourful and tired. They were really going to have to keep their eyes open for classes the next day.

James watched as Severus Snape shuffled past them with a fierce look on his face. Old Snivelous was really working the grime and Greece into his scalp nowadays. What got James angrier as every month had passed was that the bloody Slytherin always followed them more.

Where they were going, what they were doing? He was far more interested in Remus's activities than anyone else's and Sirius had begun to suspect that Snivelus was beginning to suspect Moony's disappearances every month.

His presence had already begun to wear thin. There was only so much they could take. They had half feared that he would indeed put two and two together and figure out that Remus wasn't what he seemed. That he changed, his form and his soul one night a month. They of course did everything to stop him from coming near them.

They had recently—just after Christmas anyway—picked up the notion of hexing him anywhere he followed them too. Was it their fault that he had not back down and stuck to cursing them back in some curses that weren't taught at school? No it wasn't and James supposed that him and Sirius who was now getting read the riot act by McGonagal was _their_ fault?

It was really early in the morning too. He and Sirius just stood there though but hardly paid any attention to what their teacher was saying. So what? They were going to be in detention for two days. Good old Mac had caught them aiming a potentially harm_less_—okay harm**_full_** curse at Snape just before the start of her own class.

It was then after this lecture that he saw all the Ravenclaw girls—what he thought o be Ravenclaw girls—make their way to their seats. He was shocked to say the least. He had near seen something so, well he couldn't find a word to describe it. He had hardly recognised them if that was an indication.

They all say down and acted as though their hair wasn't the least bit odd. He had to admit though they looked good. It suited them, sort of. McGonagal just stared interestedly at them and went on with sorting her papers. Wasn't she going to say anything to them? Wasn't there some kind of rule that existed so that girls' hair has to remain one specific colour? It was discrimination.

He saw a strange look appear in Matt's eyes and he didn't know what to make of it. He looked in the direction his friend was gazing at and saw it was focused on the multi-coloured girls. He looked over as well and his gaze automatically found the figure of Lily Evans. Always in uniform or stupid clothes he had never seen her look the way she did last night and he couldn't get the image out of his brain.

It was as though it was imprinted there and although she was fully clothed at the moment his mind rushed back to last night when he saw a lot of leg, which ended with bunny slippers so that's how he was seeing her. He was going mental. He had to be. He was not going to think of Lily Evans in any kind of capacity other than a stuck up little princess who will follow the rules to the end of her existence. The class was called to order and McGonagal started teaching. His gaze kept flicking back and forth. Between the teacher and a blue hair witch who looked really—no he was not going to say it. She did not look nice she looked stupid. It was a stupid thing to do with your hair and that was it. After class however none of the other boys seemed to think it was stupid. In fact even Sirius was a traitor.

'Why don't one of you two girls consider going out with me.' He said putting his arms round both Sasha and Stefi's shoulders and by the absolute disgust he saw there he highly doubted Sirius would be going out with any one of them.

The entire way to the great hall all James could think about was what happened last night. Darn it he needed to keep his mind focused on other things. Things that were important and Lily Evans was not important.

Matt looked on venomously at all of the Ravenclaw boys as well as Sirius and Peter who had surrounded the six girls. When they walked out of class for lunch they were basically mobbed by more boys. This was getting a tad bit annoying. This feeling he would get every time he saw her.

Sirius was asking them out one at a time and well Peter was watching him. The thing was at least James and Remus was with him as they made their way to the great hall _behind_ the stupid prats. Of course James seemed preoccupied with scowling at something. He didn't bother to even ask Lily out this time around but as Matt looked other was doing that enough for all the boys in school.

Matt glanced in her direction again and something stirred in his stomach. There was no way he could be feeling this. He told himself again. In the pass few months he had been having unexpected and unwelcomed thoughts about a girl that he should not have feelings for. Well it wasn't as unwelcomed as he really wanted it to be and he knew he needed to stop but it was just that he couldn't.

He had a freaking girlfriend. There was no way he would cheat on a girl through thoughts and if he was honest at all with himself stupid little fantasies that should not occur. If he had to fantasize the subject should at least be his girlfriend and not some blued eyed girl in Ravenclaw.

It was driving him bonkers. It really was and he knew the time came for him to break up with Kit. She sensed something was up with him for a while now. He mentioned the Ravenclaw girls too much, even though he refrained from talking about this fantasy girl by name. Just general things though a girl probably knew when a bloke is thinking of another girl right there in front of her. Well now he knew what he had to do. Question was how was he going to do it and not mess everything up?

Taking out his little snitch James began letting it go and catching it. He got the thing from his grandfather at Christmas and now James found out that it actually helps him think. To bad Snape had to come and mess up his concentration. Matt, Remus, Peter and Sirius were there with him outside walking in the snow.

All of them had begun talking about Remus and his other half. Matt learned the truth not too long ago but he opted to remain the way he was. Not that he didn't want to. It was just that there was a curse in his family. They couldn't transform themselves in any kind of form. And boy did he regret it. James couldn't blame him. There was a certain freedom of becoming animagi.

They hadn't even started talking about what they were going to do at the next full moon when they heard a snap of a twig behind them. Turning James heard Sirius mutter, 'Snivelly.'

Oh great, again. Sirius loved getting McGonangal and the other teachers riled up to give them detentions but he had had enough of getting them because of this twit. It was getting way to annoying. They couldn't go anywhere on the ground with out Snape coming after them. He was either alone or with this short ugly bloke that Sirius didn't know the name off.

One of these days he was going to get Snape for always prowling in the background trying to get information on them. Sirius knew since he moved out of his mother's house that his tempter was always sky high these days and he thought he could control it and he did. Every time.

The only exception was when Snape was around then he depended on his friends to keep him grounded. It was hard to because it was like adding fuel to the flame. He personally couldn't stand the bloke. He somehow represented everything his family was.

Dark.

Everyone knew that Slytherins preferred dark magic but although they knew few actually believed it. Well he knew first hand that they do and it brought out a bad side of him. A side that was rarely or if ever seen by his closest friends.

When he had gotten out of Grimwauld Place that night the only place he could think to go was James's. Hearing his mother's cackle, old high pitched voice screaming at him to "get back here" so she could probably curse him to the next millennium all he wanted to do was get away. He really wanted to use his wand on her himself but he knew he couldn't

So two hours later, thanking his uncle in mind profusely for leaving his gold for him he ended up on James front steps. He had had nowhere else to go. All because of the empty darkness. The darkness that his family helped to create.

The others probably had their own reason for hating Snape but him? Having had dark magic shovelled down your throat for most of your life and hating it made him hate Snape even more, the Slytherins even more. They represented everything he hated. He was very glad that his brother went to school in Bulgaria. Durmstrang, he wouldn't go there if they paid him. Just for the spite of it Sirius took out his wand, turned and blasted him.

'The leg locker curse, not bad. Lets go.' James said after they stopped and glanced at Snape who fell to the ground.

Shrugging Sirius followed. 'Lets go see Hagrid.' Peter said and the others agreed. Seeing Hagrid usually cheered him up—but only to a certain degree and his mind darkened again.

Matt crossed the common room; he had to talk to Kit. He couldn't do this anymore. He still liked her yeah, she was a great girl but he wasn't attracted to her. He should have known that for a while now instead of continuing this.

Bright blue eyes flashed through his mind again. Just like it always did these past few weeks.

'Kit?' he called and the girl looked up and smiled at him. She was sitting with her twin sister and one of her friends Kristi.

'Yes Matthew?'

'Could I talk to you for a few minutes?'

'Yeah sure.'

By the time she came over he was already settled in a couch that was as far away from everyone as he could possibly find. Three minutes later Matt told her everything. The truth he held nothing back and he told her about his change of feelings and he even told her that he seemed to be falling for someone else.

'Who is she?' Kit asked when he was finished but Matt knew she figured it out.

'I—you already know.'

'Yes I suppose I do.' She said quietly. 'Does she know?'

Matthew shook his head. He was pretty sure the girl had no idea he was falling of her like this. They talked, really talked once and although they hadn't really conversed alone again he couldn't help but fall for her.

He was sorry he only recognised his change of feelings two and a half months ago. Then today seeing her surrounded by all those boys made him so insanely jealous he didn't know what to do. Since her last break up she hadn't dated anyone since. He could help be glad about that.

But thinking about it like that but it also made him feel that he had lost out on so much time. He didn't even have any idea if she felt the same way he did. He didn't even know where she lived. He himself had moved to England from Australia, he visited home a lot but now he was staying with his bother in a flat.

His parents allowed him to stay with his brother until he finishes school but he still had to go visit for at least a month over the summer. That evening at dinner he watched her laugh. He liked her laugh and really he liked everything about her. She was smart and really funny to be around. She is so random in her conversations you couldn't help but laugh.

Most of all she liked his accent and told him so at least four times. The first time she told him so was the night she broke up with her boyfriend. He may have been a very good friend of his but it was harsh to break up with her like that. Sure he understood now but still it wasn't the same.

Matt chose not to approach her as yet. He had just broken up with Kit and it was only in respect for her that he wasn't approaching his blue eyes. By the end of January James had at least asked Lily out three times and each time would be the time he himself was going to ask [I] his [/I] girl out.

By the time the second week of February rolled around his hands were itching. He really could keep it in any longer. He had passed her numerous times in the hall and talked to her _and_ her friend a good few times as well. He was actually the only one of the Gryffindor boys that they really talked to, or at least had a decent conversation with.

'Hey can I talk to you for a second?' he asked bravely. At least he thought he felt brave at the time. He really just didn't want to mess this up.

She smiled. 'Sure Matthew.'

'Listen Jessie I really like you a lot and I was wondering if you'd go to the next Hogsmede weekend with me?' He asked before his bravery ran out.

'I'd like that.' She said and smiled a little wider.

'Really?' he asked still not to sure if she agreed to go out with him.

'Yeah. I think so. I'll see you later okay?'

'Yeah sure.' He said.

But before she left she walked up to him, leaned in close to his ear and whispered, 'and just so you know I like you a lot too,' kissed his cheek quickly and turned and ran to catch up with the other girls who were a little ahead of them waiting for her. The only thoughts that were registered in his mind at the moment were the one where she told him she liked him too.

Jessie laughed as she met up with the girls up the corridor. They saw her leaned into him but she was sure they didn't know what was going on. Well at least she thought they didn't.

'O-ho, so you just got asked out?' Stefi asked outrageously and Jessie stared at her. After a couple of seconds Stefi giggled. 'Sorry Hun but seriously he did ask u out didn't he?'

'Uh yeah he did but how—'

'—Did we know?' Sasha said finishing the question.

'Yes!' Jessie exclaimed.

'Well Hun we've noticed the two of you.' Lily said smugly.

'Lily did most of the noticing but…' Sasha continued.

'We started to see it too.' Finished Anna.

While they were talking Jessie had to look from one of them to the other. And swivelled her head back and forth.

'No guys seriously one of you talk. I'm getting a bloody headache just looking at you.'

'Okay well since about well I think it was November I got the idea in my head that the two of you liked one another but I couldn't exactly see it because he had a girlfriend. When he broke up with her though I told them about my theory and since then we were studying the two of you very closely.' Lily said choosing to be the spokesperson.

'Okay in other words you were spying on me?' Jessie asked. She really had to fight not to laugh. They went through so much to find out that.

Well it would have been seriously embarrassing if they knew that the first thing that drew her to Matthew was his Australian accent. Her friends knew about her obsession with accents but she didn't want them to judge her by it.

Sure she liked accents but she had gotten to know Matthew as well and he was one of the best boys in the school. The most fascinating thing was he looked terribly hot in his Quidditch uniform. She had no problem picturing him as a fireman. That there were his outward attractions but she also liked him because he was nice. Really nice and ever since her relationship with Remus fell out she found this intense pull towards Matt and had always concluded it to be nothing important.

When he had asked to talk to her. She had been hoping in the back of her mind that he would ask her out. She had been waiting it really talk to him ever since he broke up with Kit. Months ago she would have considered herself to be a calm, rational person. She really had never experienced jealousy in he life. Not even with Remus who had been around his ex-girlfriend Lacey a lot. But every time she saw him and Kit together it burned. The impulse to strangle her was there but she knew the girl was nice. It was just that she couldn't help herself. Sighing she and her friends walked towards their next class.


	10. Suspended

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_Hey there guys. I'm very sorry for keep the chapter this lon but i had other thigns to do ...lol...other things to write....You may not get a chapter for a while but there will be one. i just can't promise you when!_

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_Thanks for reading!_

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_Luv Ya _

_Sash_

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_::insert hug and kiss here::_

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**Chapter 10—Suspended.**

Sasha looked at the symbol on the page in front of her and frowned. She had been staring at the same bloody page for over half an hour and it was really beginning to annoy the living daylights out of her. She was wasting time not knowing what it meant. None of her friends was anywhere for her to get hold of them.

Lily and Hannah went boy shopping while Anna was out walking with her Chris and finally her cousin traitorously went to finalise plans with Matthew about their date. But it was only her really who had to take the stupid advanced assignment to make up for he terrible performance in the last assignment.

'Need some help?' A male and gorgeous voice asked from behind her. She turned around with a smile on her face. Then it ended up dying as soon as she saw who had spoken to her.

'Not likely, since you're the last person I would ask help from.'

'Aww what so bad about me?' he asked grinning.

'Well maybe because you're an arrogant prat who thinks he can charm anyone into submission.'

'Really?'

'Yes really. Now what do you want Sirius Black?' Sasha asked, annoyed.

She seriously disliked all this charm oozing out and he thought it was that which made people liked him. Well she saw how many girlfriends he ran through and it just wasn't pleasant to see decent girls like Dani be taken in by all that.

'Now why would you think I want something?' he asked a little too innocently.

Sasha had to resist the urge to scream in his face. Why is it that eh always brought out the best in her?

Oh wait now she remembered, the day she over heard the bloody idiot talking his best mate about girls. He had the audacity to call her a chunky, clumsy maid with big glasses of course that was after he had insulted her cousin a girl named Kristi and a few others. Because she was short, a tad clumsy and had huge glasses at age eleven was no reason to insult her.

She was equally maddening that four years later he was asking every single girl out including the ones that he insulted. Well he could take his invitation and stick it where the sun doesn't shine—most likely up his ass.

She hadn't grown much after age eleven and truly he towered over her five feet two inch frame by at least a foot. Her glasses weren't pink and huge anymore, she had grown into some type of style but she didn't find the need to ever defend herself against the arrogant prat.

'Maybe its because you always want something?' She question haughtily. She might have added that he had never asked her personally for anything.

'Well that can possibly be a little bit true but I am quite sure I have never asked you for anything.' He said echoing her thoughts and she flushed a little before asking.

'I have no time to play games with you Black, what do you want?'

'Well I was thinking of a bargain of sorts seeing as thought you need some help.'

'What are you going on about?'

'Its simple really.'

'_Really?_' she said trying not to be sarcastic but having a hard time doing so

'Yes. Consider going out with me and I'll help you figure out that problem.' He said while nodding the direction of her book.

It was a question she hadn't really expected. He had asked her out before but it had always been a joke. He had asked her and Stefi out at the same time recently so she had always thought that it was some kind of annoying joke.

She wanted help but that didn't' mean she wanted his help _that_ badly.

'Black I am not desperate and the only way I would ever except help form you would be if I was, which as I have said before am not.' She said ruthlessly but the tone hardly seemed to faze him.

'Look love, I know you want me. Why don't you consider my off. That's all you have to do, consider it.'

'Absolutely—' she started to deny it vehemently and he cut her off.

'You will that's great. I will wait to hear your answer. Could you tell me by tomorrow at dinner? Great now about that problem I suggest you go to the reference section and find in the book _Maladies come lately_ under the title _Lounge Deere_.' and with that he turned and left her alone.

She didn't even have the time to recover from the shock that he took her fierce denial for acceptance. Well her attempted denial. Then to make matters worse she had even let it get as far as him actually pointing out which book to look in and under what title. How in Hades would he know that? She never once saw him with a bloody book in his hand. First of all she had to see if he was right. Grunting angrily she reached the reference section of the library and looked up the book. Grudgingly it was there in the third shelf, fifteenth from the right. And even more annoying was the fact that under the heading he had given her, right in the second paragraph was her answer.

Oh bloody freaking hell. Why did he have to be right? Finishing her assignment she left the library thirty minutes later.

**_…_**

'Oh that was just brilliant.' Lily exclaimed as she and Hannah walked into their dorm. February was ending and next Saturday—which was also the first Saturday in March—Would be the first Hogsmeade weekend for the New Year. Since December no on had expected it to be this long. But seeing as thought the Valentines weekend was a bust with the snowstorm this was the only one they could make up for.

Reaching the landing they saw the two cousins sitting on Lily's four-poster bed. Sasha had a bemused expression as she watched Jessie smile and sigh.

'Hey girls.'

'Hi Lily do you know that was the twentieth sigh Jessie made since she got here—five minutes ago.' Sasha told her stressing the amount of minutes and both Lily and Hannah laughed.

Jessie not realising they were talking about her sighed again.

'What is up with you?' Hannah asked giggling. Lily could understand why. Her friends face took on a dreamy expression.

Jessie didn't answer and Sasha raised her hand. 'May I answer that one?'

Lily and Hannah laughed at her deepened tone. And Hannah straightened and answered, 'Sure you can answer but I have to ask is this permanent or is there a cure.'

This time Lily fell on the chair laughing and clutching her stomach.

'Thank you, I believe that Ms. Jessie Adams is suffering from an ailment we like to call dreamy-face-love syndrome the symptoms are the dreamy expression seen before you and a constant sigh rate of four sighs a minute. There is no known cure.' Sash replied in the straightest face she had ever seen.

Lily wanted to collapse form laughing because the mixture of Jessie's expression and Hannah and Sash's banter it was a funny sight to behold.

'Okay but seriously? Jessie came back not to long ago. She met up with Matthew. She was supposed to come back and help me with that assignment but I guess she had other ways of occupying her time.' Sasha said ruefully but not with any anger.

'But did you finish?' Lily asked.

'Yeah I err got some unexpected help.' She replied then got a weird look on her face. Lily couldn't decide but she figured it was a cross between disgust and anger.

'By who?' she asked carefully not too sure if she would like the answer.

Sasha cleared her throat before answering, 'Sirius Black.'

'Sirius black helped you in school work?' Hannah asked totally surprised then considered a little before adding, 'What did he want?'

'Do you really want to know?' Sasha said.

'See I knew it wouldn't be a free help he wanted something. What was it?' Hannah replied.

'Okay the way he said it was he'll help me only if I consider going out with him.' Sash said and Lily looked at her. 'So you agreed to consider going out with him?' she was stunned.

'No I did not the bloody idiot never even gave me a chance. He took it all out of my hands.' Sasha replied as she looked at her two friends. Jessie still hadn't come out of her trance yet but then again Anna and Stefi had to know so she'll find out with them.

Turning towards them she explained everything.

'But are you?' Hannah asked.

'Am I what?'

'Are you considering it?'

'No, do you think I should?' Sash question and Lily wasn't sure if should even talk about it.

'I don't know. You don't know if he is planning something. Looking at them how do you trust them?' Sash questioned and Lily couldn't agree more.

'Jessie?' Lily called hoping to ask Jess something.

Nothing.

'Jessica!'

'Oh what?' Jessie said as she was interrupted from her deep thoughts. 'Sorry guys I didn't notice you.' She said and grinned sheepishly when she realised she had spaced out and hadn't noticed them come in.

'Obviously.' Sash muttered and rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

'I couldn't help it.' Jessie whined, then grinned again. 'Matt kissed me.' And gave them a cheeky wink.

'What? Already?' Hannah exclaimed while both Sasha and Lily asked, 'How was it?' simultaneously.

'Wait never mind don't say it. I don't want you going all spacey on us again. By looking at your face we figured it was good.' Lily said.

'It was better than good, it was great.' She said smiling.

All three girls sighed. They really weren't going to get much out of Jessie if she kept lapsing into sighing sprees like that.

'Anna would you hurry, we are going to be very late.'

'I know that Sash, just hang on a second.' Anna replied as they walked or half ran rather down the corridor.

'Yes I would hang on but I'm the one that has to hand in that assignment to Professor Hunter.' Sash said as they rushed forward. She had a deadline to reach and she couldn't hand it in any later than that time.

Ten minutes later both girls breathed a sigh of relief. They had reached the old man in time. Checking their watches they noted that they had to meet the girls before they went to dinner. It was then however that they noticed that Sirius and James were walking in front of them.

Well not that close, they would have to hurry to catch up with them and not be seen but didn't really want to eavesdrop on a personal conversation. That was morally wrong and anyway Sasha had to answer Sirius so it was the only way to tell him without much people hearing anything.

They were about four feet behind them and Sash was just about to reach forward and tell him to hold up when she heard her name mentioned.

'…Leah's friend Jenna, and other Slytherin girl named Nancy, I didn't ask any of Dani's friend's though, um a few Ravenclaws, that girl Sasha from our year, that sixth year reserve chaser they have, Brittney and Remus's ex Kristi. A good few of them answered right away so they'll be considered early. If the ratio for girls wanting me is two times more than the amount not then I'll break up with Dani and consider my options towards them.' He said in an all-superior voice.

On hearing that Sasha stopped in her tracks. He was using them to determine whether or not to break up with Dani? Ha and he thought he wasn't putting the necessary risk of asking any of her friends.

'Sash are you going to tell Dani?' Anna Asked, she too was shocked but she didn't know whether it was her place to say anything after all he didn't ask her.

'I don't know.' Sasha said and her mind was in slight turmoil. She was mad but she was also disappointed at herself. She was never going to tell the girls this now because they would really want to know where her logic had taken off too.

The only worry that was on her mind right now was that she _had_ thought about it and she was going to say yes.

How could she have even thought about going out with him, much less _agreeing_ to go? Oh thank Merlin she didn't make a fool out of herself. She would have never gotten over it if she had made a fool of herself in front of all her friend and even herself if she accepted.

The bloody moronic fool nearly made her go back on her morals because Dani was her friend and she would not betray her like that as well as the fact that she told herself a hundred time she would not go out with people like him.

'What do you think I should do?' Sasha asked and Anna who was looking intently at her friend's face as it flashed with different emotions as she thought about what they overheard. All she knew was Sasha had to do something. What she wasn't going to mention was that she had a feeling Sash wasn't going to turn him down about the date.

'Tell Dani?'

'I don't know. I can't believe he would want to hurt Dani like that.' Sash replied and they started walking again.

'I know.' Anna said and nodded.

Suddenly though Anna sensed a fire start up from next to her. Sasha suddenly seemed to be radiating anger.

'I'm going to tell Dani. There may be a chance that she would not believe me but I have to take it.'

'Are you sure?'

'Yes but first though I have to find Jessie and the others. I don't want my cousin to get a heart attack. She may expect me to be a klutz at times but she doesn't expect me to be going to blokes and punching the daylights out of them.'

Anna laughed and nodded. 'So you resorting to violence?'

'No but it would have felt a whole lot better wouldn't it if I get a good aim at his face and knock some teeth out but no I want to humiliate him in front of all those girls he lusts after.'

'I take it you have a plan?'

'Well no not really,' Sasha said grinning sheepishly. 'But I'm hoping Lily and Jessie help me out. They have a lovely set of devious minds you know.' She finished and laughed.

They turned and headed for the courtyard where they were supposed to meet the rest of their beloved dorm mates. But it was when Sash reached her cousin and friend that she realised that Dani was going to be crushed and when she told Jessie and Lily what had happened they advised her to tell Dani.

'But girls, what if she doesn't believe me? What do I do then?'

'Personally I would kick his royal highness's ass but yeah if I were her I would want to know even though I would not want to believe a girl who "claims" that my boyfriend asked her out.' Jessie said truthfully.

'That doesn't help but what you're saying is that I should tell her?'

'Yes, you should Sash.' Lily replied for Jessie.

'Okay but only if you come with me. Not to tell her but for moral support.' Sash said the three of them.

'Of course we'll come.'

'Great.' She said in a whoosh of relief.

The only thing that kept Sasha from telling Dani at that exact moment was because she couldn't find her. Why was it anytime you're looking for something _or_ somebody you couldn't find them?

Then Anna echoed her thoughts by saying the very same thing she was thinking—almost.

'Why can't we find her? I mean I know the school is big but I mean come on. It's just like life init, every time you have to get something you need it's never there where you last put it. Or you put it away so safe you can't remember where exactly is this safe hiding place.' Anna said in a disbelieving voice.

The girls nodded in agreement but it was another fifteen minutes before they found her sitting with her friends Arlene, Megan and Lacey.

'Uh hi girls, um Dani?' Sash asked a bit nervous because after all how would a girl feel when you tell her than her boyfriend has been asking everybody out on the sole purpose of figuring out whether to break up with her or not.

'Oh hi guys, what's up Sash?'

'You see—would—what I mean is could I have a word with you in private?' Sasha said not to sure how to even ask to talk to her privately.

'Okay, sure, give me a second.' Dani replied and gave her book to Lacey to hold on for her. Sasha took Dani to a corner and she noted that bother her friends and Dani's were looking at them.

'Dani I told know how to say this. Maybe its because I know I should tell you girl to girl but seeing as though I can't seem to stop talking I don't know whether to tell you or not because you might hate me if you don't believe me.' Sash babbled and Dani looked at her slightly concerned.

'Okay well just take a deep breath and tell me. I promise I won't get mad well at first until I think about it.' Dani promised.

Sasha took a deep breath. 'Okay, um earlier today Anna and I overheard Sirius Black talking to James Potter about this master plan of his. Now this is probably the hard part for you but he is asking a lot of girls out and if the ratio of the girls that accepts is more than the ones who say no then he'll break up with you.'

Dani didn't answer but Sash thought she might as well tell her the other thing as well. 'Um he asked me out last night as well.' She said quietly then looked up to see Dani's expression.

'Dani are you all right?' Sash asked worriedly.

'Yes I'm fine. You see I'm disappointed in myself because I got angry when Kristi told me that Sirius asked her out. I thought she was trying to break us up. I jumped to the wrong freaking conclusion.' She said starting to get angry.

'Yeah I heard her name mentioned in the conversation. I'm sorry Dani I know you probably really liked him.' Sash said gently.

'I did like him but his arrogance was beginning to wear thin and it is a wonder I've lasted this long with him anyway. I know a couple girls who didn't even last a week. I should have believed Kristi you see because she is my friend, well was—I'll have to apologise to her. Sash?'

'Yeah?'

'Thanks for telling me.'

'No problem but the honest truth was that he had asked me to consider going out with him before he helped me with a problem. He helped me but I didn't want him too and well he left before I could tell him take his invitation and stick it.'

'That's okay Sash but I bet you're angry.' Dani said grinning. 'I know you have little patience in these matters.'

Sash laughed. 'Yeah I suppose but I would think you would have been more angry than me.'

'I am but well other than the fact that I want kick him where it hurts and mess up his hair permanently I'm glad I have an excuse to end things. It would have hurt more if I had realised for myself what was going on. I would have been too embarrassed to even show my face.'

'Yeah I am sorry again. Lets go back. I bet Lacey is dying to know what is going on.' Sash said and Dani laughed.

When they got back Lacey indeed wanted to know what was going on. She was the first of Dani's friends to ask as well.

Later for dinner in the great hall Sash wasn't sure what she was going to do. After explaining what had happened to Dani's friends they all entered the great hall for dinner together. It didn't seem so bad now that Dani knew but it was still maddening.

Dani went and apologized to Kristi who smiled in understanding. So all was well in the Gryffindor table but it was when Sirius Black and the rest of the Marauders entered the great hall that all the girls who knew about Black's dirty little plan turned to look at him with disgust in their eyes.

He didn't even realise that everyone is giving him the evil eye. Sash thought and that made her even madder. Halfway through dinner she couldn't eat. She was just staring and glaring in his direction. The bloody prat was stuffing his face.

'I'll be right back.' Sasha said to Hannah as she got up.

Jessie and the others looked at her as she walked away from their table. 'What is she going to do?' they asked Hannah.

'I have no idea, she just said she was coming right back.' Hannah replied and they watched as she walked up to Sirius Black.

Sasha meanwhile looked straight at the boy she disliked. It was blokes like him who gave good-looking boys a bad name. She passed Dani and her friends and they looked at her wondering what she was going to do. In reality she wasn't even sure what she was going to do. All she knew was that she needed to tell him off.

All of them watched as she stopped just behind him and tap his shoulder. He looked up and she smiled sweetly. From what Jessie could see it was that same smile she used when Mark Ganga claimed to be smarter than her in primary school. She had given him that same smile before pounded him into the dusty playground. Jessie shook her head this was going to be something.

'Sirius?' Sash asked sweetly. Too sweet even for her. She felt upset just by the sound of how sugary her voice was.

Black turned towards her and smiled. He then glanced towards Dani who was finding her food awfully fascinating. It was a good thing she turned away too. Finally he looked up smirked before standing.

'Hey there.'

'Yes hi, I was wondering if I can give you my answer to what you asked me yesterday.' Sasha said as she looked through her lowered lashes at him.

'Sure thing love. I bet I know what the answer is.' He said grinning as though he was god's gift to women. _I just bet you do_. Sash thought as she looked at him. Ha! He was no gift to anyone let alone women.

'Well you see the thing is Sirius,' she started sweetly as she picked up Peter's ice-cold pumpkin juice. 'I would not go out with you if you were the last bloody idiot on earth.' She said in a fairly loud tone and at the same time she pulled at his trousers and dumped the entire contents of the goblet down his knickers.

And with that she turned around and stalked back to her table. She had really resisted the urge pummel him. She was proud of herself as she walked the second half of the way to her table calmly. Reclaiming her seat she sat down and began to eat unaware of the silence in the great hall.

Hannah nudged her.

'What?' she asked looking up and then noticed everyone looking at her. 'Mind you own business.' She stated before Jessie gave her a wink and they continued eating.

Slowly but surely everyone eventually turned their attention towards their food and their friends to talk about what had just happened. Lily and Jessie noted that when Sash walked away Sirius stood staring after her as thought she was mad. But even from where they sat they saw his face flame for a few seconds.

She embarrassed him in front of the entire school and she was a lady about it. Jessie had half expected her to do another "Mark" but she contained herself. There was another time she almost got suspended for hitting a bloke named Darren over the head with her textbooks. Anytime she saw the boy now she half wondered if it had cause brain damage because he wasn't doing well at school.

'Great job Sash.' Anna said and Sasha grinned at her.

'I know it was wasn't it?' she said and then looked at Dani who gave her thumbs up before getting up herself. Dani got up and walked towards Sirius before patting him on the head. She shook her head and said something before coming to their table.

'Dani, what did you tell him?' Stefi asked eagerly and she laughed.

'Okay well after I patted his head what I told him was "you poor deluded fool. How could you think that my friends would not inform me of your little game?" then I shook my head and came over here. Sash that was excellent. I think mister suave will think twice before he ever approaches a girl again.' Dani said ginning but there was a little something missing in all that.

Lily could tell she was hurt by Sirius cold use of their relationship. It would be hard for her to trust a guy again all because of an insensitive callous prat.

'Well at least that's good.' She said and Dani went back to her table.

But before dinner was over Sirius Black decided to head over to the Gryffindor table and give that girl a piece of his mind. How dare she embarrass him in front of his friends? Matthew was still chuckling and James didn't even look him in the eye. The worst thing was when Dani broke up with him. _She broke up with him_! That was his lowest point and he for one was never going to forgive that walking snidget for making him look like a fool. It was a good thing half of the school was now elsewhere.

'What in the bloody hell made you announce to the whole sodden school that you didn't want to go out with me.' He demanded when he reached her. She turned around in surprise to look at him before giving him a glare. Ha, like if a glare could hurt him. She would wish she hadn't even met him when he got through with her.

'Black what are you doing here?' she said in a bored voice. _Bored_.

'You know damn well what I am doing here. What gave you the right to announce to the whole school what was going on.'

'The same right that allowed you to ask a bevy of girls out so that you can determine whether or not to dump Dani.' She said in a matter of fact voice. Sirius was stunned. 'How did you know that?' he asked. The girl in front of him sighed. 'You shouldn't go announcing your plans in public love someone would likely to overhear.' She said before getting up. 'It's rude to listen in on other people conversations.' He said finally.

'Yes I suppose it is rude but seeing as though my conscious isn't the least bit dented I can live with myself. Ta!' She said before leaving the great hall. The rest of the Ravenclaw girls snickered before getting up and followed her. As the weeks passed Sirius realised that was one of the lowest points of his life. Because of that girl his love life has been a living hell. No one wanted to date him and they always made a stupid wise crack at him.

Damn her and the whole bloody population anyway, he didn't need a girl. In actuality they needed him. That's right they needed him Sirius Black. He was a dish if he did say so himself. Compared to most of the lads around the school he was handsome. Of course in his mind he rated each one of them that could possibly pose a threat, none of his fellow Gryffindors that was for sure.

They would not stab him in the back and besides they carry their own. The five of them—well maybe not Peter so much, but who knows maybe he'll grow out of the cragginess. Each one of those girls would be far better off with him as a boyfriend and they would have more fun on a date with him.

The funny thing about it was James didn't have much luck on the "love" front as well. Renee felt that since the two of them were _so_ alike she wouldn't put it past him—James that is—to do the same thing as Sirius. Of course that happening was the best fun Sirius had because James had told him that if his plan worked for him he might as well try it on himself to see where he stood on a longer relationship with Renee. Sirius had been right there with the two of them and had heard every word that Renee told James.

He couldn't help it he burst out laughing afterwards and his best mate had glared at him but so what? He had to have a little fun now that he can't snog any girl for the rest of the school year. He figured that the three months separating then from the last day of school was all right and everyone would have had their fun and he could go back to dating whomever he pleased by the time September the first rolled around. Oh the days passed very slowly and it didn't help at all that little miss Sasha smiled gaily at him every time she passed him in the corridor and even the great hall. Of course since now was their fifth year, studying for the OWLS had become routine every day. So there was not much time left for pranking.

Little by little his frustrations started to pile up. After that whole incident with his mother just before Christmas he wanted to be free and be his own person. Not some bloody nobody who couldn't get a dingle date.

**_…_**

As OWLS dawned on them no one was with out a book and for Sirius stuffing all the information you can into your brain a few minutes before a test is a waste of time. He knew everything. All you had to do was understand the material and it comes as natural as breathing.

So what if people looked at him and thought he was a shmock for not getting all mad and hyper about not studying enough. She had James were well informed with their magic. A few minutes before their first exam was to start though he noticed that same bloody girl and Jessie who he learned a couple months ago while fuming with Remus and Matthew was her cousin.

Well hell if that didn't just put every thing together so nicely. If Matthew and Jessie ever got married Sasha would be one of the bridesmaids and when he got to the wedding she would have to be there. Darn it! So there really was no way for him to avoid her. So since then—the past two months— he had pointed ignored her.

It annoyed him greatly though that she didn't seem the least bit fazed by the fact that she was the thorn in his side and he wanted to show her a thing or three about the person he was. But seeing her there right in front him with her cousin gave him immense—and perverse—pleasure. He almost wanted to walk up to her and laugh in her face.

Her book looked like it was permanently stuck to her face. It looked pretty obvious that she hadn't studied enough. While he was there cool as a cucumber about exams she was fretting over hers. Sirius decided to plainly ignore the fact that one of his best mates was doing the same thing. Remus knew his work but he felt as though he had to put in extra since his time was usually cut short every month.

**_…_**

Entering the Transfiguration classroom James couldn't wait to start. He looked over towards his nemesis Lily Evans. She thought she was so smart all the time. He would show her, he was planning to beat the pants off her in all the classes they had together and even the same ones they share in their different career choosing.

Sirius looked happy about something. These days though the only thing that brought him happiness was if something had gone wrong in a certain Ravenclaw's life. If anything he would be even happier if he beat her in their OWLS and get more than she will. McGonagal walked in to introduce the wizard that was going to be supervising their theory test.

And then soon enough their exams began and James felt confident as he answered all the questions thoroughly.

But it was three days later that something went wrong. Something in Sirius had snapped just after their confrontation with Snape and Lily Evans. Where just after the Charms theory exam they had Snape up against a wall and James tried another attempt at asking the redheaded prefect out.

It was just before nightfall and Remus was being led to the whomping willow tree with the head nurse.

James, Sirius and Peter were to follow thirty minutes after the nurse left but because they had separated earlier that had agreed to meet up at the whomping willow tree. Sirius had reached the entrance fifteen minutes ahead of time and he was early enough to see the nurse lead Remus towards the tree. Deciding to sit on a bench and wait it out he looked on as they walked in the dusk.

But they were not alone. Seeing the slimy good for nothing Snape following them was the incident to finally make him snap. Sirius met up with him first and blocked his view form the nurse and Remus.

'What in the bloody hell are you doing here?' he snarled. Oh he was ready for a fight. There was nothing he would have liked better than teaching Snape a lesson. Telling him to but out wasn't going to work. He thought they were hiding something.

Severus smirked, 'as if you didn't know Black. Finally I'll be able to see what Lupin does every month although you probably know that I even have my suspicions but I can't even prove it. Following your little gang wasn't easy on the stomach but I'll have to know you that intend to prove that your little good guy club is not all you're cracked up to be.' He said and sneered. 'Now out of my way Black before I curse you and make you wish you had never started pestering me.'

'Well _Snivellus_ you're the bloody one that has no friends or you would not have wasted your time following mine.' Sirius shot back.

'We'll see who your friends are—well Lupin will when everyone knows his secret.' Severus remarked almost happily, which was disconcerting because he never smiled but then he noticed that there was no sign of Lupin or the healing nurse.

'Move out of the way Black you can't stop me from finding out.'

'Well do you really want to know what's been going on? Well here's what I'll do for you since you're all ready to go charging into nothing.' Sirius told his adversary his normally grey eyes were now blazing a dark colour. 'I'll tell you where to find Remus.' Sirius said darkly.

Severus's squinted his eyes. He wasn't too sure if he should trust this _Gryffindor_. 'Oh yeah? What's in it for you?' he asked.

'The satisfaction of seeing you get burned by your own stupid curiosity.' He said simply but there was nothing simple about the reason he was give. It was the truth however; Snape just had no idea what he was getting himself into. He was going to regret following him and his friends and thinking that he could get them into trouble.

Well now if the same thing happened to him that was happening to Remus then he would learn his lesson and well if he got badly injured then well what were healing draughts made for?

'Fine tell me where did he go?' Snape said, curiosity getting the best of him. He didn't trust Black totally but he needed to find out what was going on. It had to be a trick. Black will tell him and he wouldn't believe that Severus will go but he will. There was something going on and he would find out.

Sirius smiled darkly. 'Go to the Whomping willow, there is a knot at the bottom of the tree; you'll have to push it with a stick to freeze its branches. There at the bottom of it there is a passage, go through there and you will see.' He said rattling of the instructions. Turning Snape walked in the direction of the whomping willow. Excellent. He'll just go further into the corridor and wait for the others. He had just reached his destination when the healer's nurse passed him. She didn't notice him because he chose to be in the shadows.

Fifteen minutes later it was completely dark and footsteps could be heard coming towards him then just short of him a veil was raised and James and Peter stepped out. They were wearing James's father's invisibility cloak. His grandfather gave it to him why Harrison Potter had died. Seeing him there James was surprised.

'What are you going here Padfoot? Aren't you supposed to be further up?' he questioned as he looked into the funny expression of his best mate's face.

'Yes but something came up.' He said and James started to wonder what he meant but when he got a look at the steel-like grey eyes of the boy standing in front of him James knew something was up. And he was sure that he wasn't going to like it.

'What did you do Sirius?' he demanded.

Taken aback Sirius said defensively, 'What makes you think I _did_ anything?'

'I know you.' James said.

'Okay fine if you must know I had an interesting conversation with our mate Snivellus, he had wanted to know where Remus went every month, so I told him.' Sirius said smugly.

'You did what?' James asked shocked.

'I caught him following the healing nurse and Remus to the whomping willow so I told him that the way he can find out what was really going on was to go to the tree and see for himself.' He answered smoothly.

'So I take it you told him how to get down there.' James said and he was starting to become rather angry. How could he do that to Remus? What could he have been thinking to put of their best mates though that? It was almost like murder it you hurt someone and they're hanging on top life by a thread.

'Of course I told him, how else would he know? I expect he'll learn his lesson then go running home to his mother.' Sirius said laughing slightly.

'Sirius this is not a laughing matter, we have got to stop him.' James said harshly and was already moving in the direction of the entrance doors.

'Why?' Sirius asked confused at his friend's anger. He would have thought James would be laughing his head off.

'Sirius, how do you think Remus would feel if he found out that he hurt a person in his stage of development or even killed a person. That would be the most brutal thing he could go through even if its Snape we're talking about.' James said and then turned around and ran off towards the whomping willow.

Meanwhile Sirius's face had gone white as he watched James leave. He hadn't thought of it like that. All he had thought of was teaching Snape a lesson. Now if Snape got hurt really badly Remus would blame himself. He would also blame himself if he had changed another person into a werewolf. Also what was he going to do if Snape survived and told everyone his closely guarded secret? It would destroy him

How could he have been so stupid? He of all people should know what Remus would be going through in his state. Tomorrow when he comes too he'll find out what Sirius did. Sirius wondered if Remus would forgive him. He knew what he had to do know.

'Peter?' Sirius said looking at his mate who had been so quiet this entire time.

'Yes?'

'It's up to you. Do you want o come with me to see professor Dumbledore? Or would you rather go to the dorm and wait for us?'' Sirius asked but he had already started walking. 'You know what its better that way. You take James invisibility cloak and wait for us upstairs. I have some explaining to do with Professor Dumbledore before all hell breaks loose.' He said before continuing to the corridor to find the headmaster's office.

There was only one password Sirius could remember to get into the headmaster's office, the most recent one and he used it. Professor Dumbledore was sitting there at his desk and looked up expectantly. His face took on a grave expression and his half moon glasses were placed firmly on his nose.

'Professor I have come to tell you something. I think that you would be disappointed in me and I know that I've disappointed on of the best people in my life.' Sirius said as he sat down. He started from the beginning of his dislike for Severus Snape and what he had done only moments ago. As soon as he finished his story the door banged open to reveal a hurt and very angry Snape.

'Professor Dumbledore Lupin…' he started then trailed off when he saw Sirius. 'Black.' He said darkly. 'Sir Black tried to kill me tonight with the help of his werewolf friend.' he said loudly. Sirius sensibly kept quiet but he wondered where James was. He really hoped his mate wasn't hurt trying to save that bastard. But as he thought that James came thought the door as well. He was all right; well he looked passable under the circumstances.

'Sir, Lupin, Black, Potter and Pettigrew all conspired to have me killed when Lupin changed into a werewolf. He is a werewolf sir. They have been hiding that fact for five years. Now you can do what right by us and expelled them from the school for keeping such a dangerous secret.' Severus said before warming to his topic. 'Headmaster they tried to kill me. That how dangerous they are. Calling themselves the Marauders is an understatement for what they really were.'

'That's enough Mr. Snape.' Professor Dumbledore said and all three boys looked at him. 'I understand what has happened. Have you been bitten?' he asked first needing to get the most important question out of the way. 'Well no professor but—' Snape started but Dumbledore cut him off. 'Mr. Snape I would like for you to return to your dorm but I also need another thing from you. No one must know of the changes Mr. Lupin undergoes every month. You must swear to it that as long as you are a pupil of this school you must keep that discovery to yourself.'

Severus looked stunned. He felt stunned really. Didn't Dumbledore understand that Remus Lupin was a werewolf? That he was a menace to the students? The looked Dumbledore gave him however was enough to stop from voicing those questions.

'I will take care of everything and you needn't worry about your life.' He said and indicated that Severus should go.

Turning Severus Snape left without a word but it was clear that he was going to deal with the two so-called Marauders in his office. It didn't matter any, not even to his conscience that he didn't tell the entire truth. His pride such as it was wouldn't let him. He was never going to admit to anyone that James Potter saved his life down there under the whomping willow.

When Severus left Albus turned his attention to the two boys standing before him. James he noticed had blood along the side of his head but apparently he wasn't in any pain. Also his robes were slashed. He didn't have to ask to know what James did. He had put another's life before his own. Even though they hated each other. It impressed him greatly. He wanted to keno the entire story.

Sirius on the other hand was looking ashamed. Albus knew why. It was hard but Sirius had come to him knowing that his punishment could be severe. Albus was also sort of proud of him, he knew it wasn't easy for him to admit he was wrong. He knew of Sirius's home situation and he recognised that this young man had really gone through a difficult life. Albus could understand where his anger came from but it did not excuse the action he had taken to satisfy them.

He looked at the two boys gravely. They had apparently learned the truth about Remus Lupin. No doubt they supported him. Albus remembered what Sirius had told him. About what James had said concerning Remus had jarred him through his menacing thoughts and how he had come to his senses. James may be delinquent at times but Albus sensed maturity in him.

'James would you care to tell me what happened at the shrieking shack?' He asked.

'Uh, sure sir. By the time I pressed the knot to freeze the tree I heard Sn—Severus yell. By then Remus had already tried taking a swipe at him and I had to distract him. So I called out and while Remus turned towards me I told him to run and well he came up here and you know the rest.' He said and Albus eyes twinkled a bit. He knew James was holding back something at the end, after Severus had left but he did not press.

'Sirius you understand I have to take disciplinary actions in this case?' Albus said swing his attention to the boy.

'Yes sir.' He said quietly, subdued.

'Two hundred points from Gryffindor—' he said and raised his hand when Sirius started to protest. 'You are also suspended from Quidditch for the next two years.' He said. 'I know there are only two more years for your attendance to this school so I can grant you one reprieve.' He said and Sirius looked at him expectantly. 'You may play on your last year and the last game for your team only if you never commit a crime of this nature again.'

'You shouldn't blame the house for my lapse in judgement sir, I can take another form of punishment.' Sirius said and Albus looked him. He could learn his lesson just yet. 'I'm afraid my word is final.'

'All right sir I understand.' He said and got up to leave. Albus looked at the two boys intently as they headed for his office door.

'Before you both leave could you wait for a minute?' Albus said just as they reached the door. The boys turned and waited.

'James?' he asked. 'I would like to speak to you.'

'Yes sir.' He answered and Sirius turned again and walked out of the office. This was not his business. This was really no time for him to smile or make a cute remark like he always did so he just did what he was asked.

'I would like to commend you on your bravery. Saving another person's life is very noble.' Albus said looking at him.

'The thing is sir, I just wanted to make sure Remus didn't harm anyone. His conscience wouldn't have handled it well. He would have blamed himself for everything. It doesn't matter that Severus Snape isn't my favourite person or if I had really thought about it that I would not have done it but you see Remus was my only concern. That's the only reason I saved his life. It wasn't really nobility.' He said quietly.

'But James don't you see? It was. Being a true friend like that is being noble. You still risked your life to save someone else's. That is something to be admired. It doesn't matter that you did it for your friend though it may seem selfish but you did risk your life.' Albus said looking at the young man's face.

'I suppose sir but thinking of it like that would make it seem that Sirius was a bad person making him less noble than what you're trying to explain to me. He just lost his head, he wasn't thinking clearly these past few months. It hasn't been easy for him at home and you see Snape reminds him so much of what he left behind because he represents Slytherin.' James said trying to make the head master understand.

'I am aware of Sirius's home situation James that's why I was so lenient. I know he needs a chance to be himself without the influences of his family. Otherwise I might have had to expel him from school and he knows it. I know you can help him James. He trusts you and well I know your grandparents would do their best as well.' Albus said smiling.

'Yes sir they will. They always had a likeness for Sirius.' Said James and then turned to leave.

'One more thing James, I award you one hundred and seventy-five points to you for that action you did earlier. I hope however that you will do you best to keep that quality.' He said with a twinkle in his eyes.

James went to the dorms, to finds the others. They had to find food and go back to meet up with Remus. He didn't know what to say to Sirius however when he found him. Sirius rash actions may have cost him the rest of his school years. At least he saw the light all he had to hope for know was Remus's forgiveness when they tell him.

When Remus met them that morning he was beyond mad. He had spent his time at the shrieking shack by himself for the first time in many years. He knew something was wrong from the time he saw Snape approach form the entrance. The fact that all his friends hadn't come after his transformation was even more frustrating. Something was wrong and he had to understand what was going on.

Absolutely no one knew how to freeze the whomping willow tree. No one except the nurse, Dumbledore and the rest of the 5th year Gryffindor boys. So how Snape got into the shrieking shack was a complete mystery to him. What totally scared him was the fact that Snape would tell everyone his secret and he would have to leave the school. He didn't want to imagine what would happen if that happened. He needed to find out what was going on quickly.

When he dragged himself to the dorm room everyone was up even Matthew. He too knew the secret but he chose to be the one to stay out of the way. Remus didn't hold it against him when he opted out of becoming animagus. But right now he wasn't sure how he felt about him since he started dating Jessie. He had put on a big smile when they all learned what he felt towards her. But he was mad inside, he had had girlfriends since Jessie but she was his first real relationship. She was still in his heart, still had a piece of it but he didn't love her like that anymore.

He had moved on from her but it still stung because he couldn't trust her enough to tell her about his condition. He half wondered if he could ever trust anyone to tell his secret too besides his friends. But looking at their faces now he wondered even if he had a secret to tell anyone anymore. One thing he didn't know was if he had bitten Severus. Truthfully he wouldn't wish turning in to werewolf on anybody not even his own enemies.

Werewolves were outcasts. He learned that from a young age. If he was kicked out of school because of it there was nothing he could do. It would be worse for someone who never had any experience being shunned like a common disease. Right now he couldn't help the first question that popped out of his mouth.

'Did I bite him?'

James shook his head indicating no and he breathed a sigh of relief but something else was wrong he could feel it. Matthew wouldn't look at him and Sirius was staring as though he needed to tell him something important. Peter wasn't even trying to hide his fear.

'Well then what aren't you telling me?' he demanded.

They told him. He asked for it and they let him have it. Sirius told Snape how to get though to the shrieking shack. He let Snape fid out his deeply guarded secret. Remus just stood there as both James and Sirius took turns explaining what happened. Nothing much registered after he heard what Sirius had done that is until he heard him say that he was sorry and his brown eye met his mates grey ones.

'Sorry? You're sorry? I almost killed someone.' He said brokenly.

'Yes,' he whispered and then tried explaining why he did what he did and why he regretted it.

'Sirius I personally cannot speak to or see you right now. I don't really care if you're regretting it at the moment but right now I need space and I need it away from you. I know you're regretting what you did and how your family influenced that decision but I need time. It's been a tiring night. I'll see you all later.' Remus said before drawing the curtains around his bed and went under the covers.

But sleep was the last thing on his mind. Five minutes had gone when he heard Matthew say quietly, 'well you didn't expect it to take it well did you?' they probably though he had sound proofed the area. He almost wished he did.

'I really didn't know how he would take it.' Sirius honestly. 'I wasn't hoping for anything because I know that however Remus reacts will be nothing compared to what I would do.'

Remus silently agreed but he was disheartened. He really didn't know himself how he should have reacted, how he should act now. He heard the whole story and he sympathized with Sirius about his family before. Did it make him a hypocrite that he didn't find that a worthy excuse for Sirius to use for why he did what he did?

'You have to understand what Remus is going through.' James said and Remus heard him moved towards the door.

'I know don't you think I know how big of an ass I was?' Sirius said his voice raising.

'Will you be quiet? He probably is asleep and doesn't need anymore of you input in anything.' James remarked. 'We better go downstairs. OWL's still isn't over.'

They all filed down and closed the door. Remus didn't know what to think. He knows that Sirius would never really do anything intentional to hurt him but as he told them. He needed time and only when he is ready to face the fact that he almost bit someone would he be able to speak to Sirius.

_…_

Sleep still didn't take him until two hours passed.


End file.
